Recreation  and 
?^  s^  the  Church 


HERBERT  \miGHr  GATES 


amth 


^^§55S^GFP^S$^^^ 


:^\ 


APR  19  191B 


BV  1640  .G3 

Gates,  Herbert  Wright,  186 

Recreation  and  the  church 


The  University  of  Chicago  Publications 
IN  Religious  Education 


EDITED  BY 

ERNEST  D.    BURTON  SHAILER  MATHEWS 

THEODORE  G.   SOARES 


PRINCIPLES  and  methods  OF  RELIGIOUS 
.    EDUCATION 


RECREATION  AND  THE  CHURCH 


THE  UNIVEBSITY  OF  CHICAGO  PRESS 
CHICAGO.  ILLINOIS 

Bgente 

THE  BAKER  &  TAYLOR  COMPANY 

NEW  YORK 

THE  CUNNINGHAM,  CURTISS  &  WELCH  COMPANT 

LOS  ANOELES 


THE  CAMBRIDGE  UNIVERSITY  PRESS 

LONDON  AND  EDINBURGH 

THE  MARUZEN-KABUSHIKI-KAISHA 

TOKYO,   OSAKA,    KYOTO,   FUKUOKA,    SENDAl 

THE  MISSION  BOOK  COMPANY 

SUAMSHAI 


RECREATION   AND 

THE  CHURCf^i^rorpRi% 

(      APR  19  191S 

By  .^       "<^6ICAL  SE^ 

HERBERT  WRIGHT  GATES 

Superintendent  of  Brick  Church  Institute,  and  Director  of  Religious  Education 
in  Brick  Church,  Rochester,  Neiv  York 


THE  UNIVERSITY  OF  CHICAGO  PRESS 
CHICAGO,  ILLINOIS 


Copyright  1917  By 
The  University  of  Chicago 


All  Rights  Reserved 


Published  May  1917 


Composed  and  Printed  By 

The  University  o!  Chicago  Press 

Chicago,  Illinois,  U.S.A. 


GENERAL  PREFACE 

The  progress  in  religious  education  in  the  last  few 
yeu,i3  has  been  highly  encouraging.  The  subject 
has  attained  something  of  a  status  as  a  scientific 
study,  and  significant  investigative  and  experimen- 
tal work  has  been  done.  More  than  that,  trained 
men  and  women  in  increasing  numbers  have  been 
devoting  themselves  to  the  endeavor  to  work  out 
in  churches  and  Sunday  schools  the  practical  prob- 
lems of  organization  and  method. 

It  would  seem  that  the  time  has  come  to  pre- 
sent to  the  large  body  of  workers  in  the  field 
of  religious  education  some  of  the  results  of  the 
studies  and  practice  of  those  who  have  attained 
a  measure  of  educational  success.  With  this  end 
in  view  the  present  series  of  books  on  "Principles 
and  Methods  of  Religious  Education"  has  been 
undertaken. 

It  is  intended  that  these  books,  while  thoroughly 
scientific  in  character,  shall  be  at  the  same  time 
popular  in  presentation,  so  that  they  may  be  avail- 
able to  Sunday-school  and  church  workers  every- 
where. The  endeavor  is  definitely  made  to  take 
into  account  the  small  school  with  meager  equip- 
ment, as  well  as  to  hold  before  the  larger  schools 
the  ideals  of  equipment  and  training. 


viii  Preface 

The  series  is  planned  to  meet  as  far  as  possible  all 
the  problems  that  arise  in  the  conduct  of  the  educa- 
tional work  of  the  church.  While  the  Sunday- 
school,  therefore,  is  considered  as  the  basal  organi- 
zation for  this  purpose,  the  wider  educational  work 
of  the  pastor  himself  and  that  of  the  various  other 
church  organizations  receive  due  consideration  as 
parts  of  a  unified  system  of  education  in  morals 
and  religion. 

The  Editors 


FOREWORD 

Educational  workers  have  for  many  years  freely 
acknowledged  their  debt  of  gratitude  to  those, 
leaders  through  whose  insight  and  efforts  the  child 
has  been  placed  at  the  center  of  teaching,  and  his 
individuality,  interests,  and  capacities  have  been 
allowed  to  set  the  standards  for  effective  educa- 
tional practice.  It  is  in  line  with  this  development 
in  educational  thought  that  the  aim  of  all  true 
teaching  has  become  that  of  developing  a  life  rather 
than  that  of  imparting  information  or  forcing  an 
individuahty  into  conformity  with  preconceived 
and  adult-made  standards. 

This  idea  once  established,  it  was  inevitable  that 
the  dififerent  phases  of  child  life  should  each  receive 
its  due  measure  of  attention,  and  we  have  dis- 
covered the  importance  of  the  home  and  play  life 
and  the  conditions  of  employment  as  affecting  the 
educational  process. 

Slowly  but  surely  the  church  has  awakened  to 
the  consciousness  that  these  same  principles  apply 
to  religious  education.  We  have  come  to  see  that 
the  child's  religious  experience  is  no  less  distinctive 
than  his  mental  processes.  Instead  of  tr\ing  to 
force  sixteen-year-old  boys  or  girls  into  conformity 
with  the  devotional  or  theological  standards  of 


X  Foreword 

sixty,  we  are  trying  to  help  children  to  be  Christian 
boys  and  girls. 

There  is  no  more  potent  influence  or  favorable 
approach  to  the  inner  life  of  childhood  and  youth 
than  is  found  in  recreational  interests  and  activities. 
Play,  games,  athletic  sports,  are  not  merely  ad- 
juncts to  a  religious  educational  program,  baits  to 
interest,  or  preventives  of  less  desirable  occupations. 
They  are  the  open  door  to  the  real  boy,  the  real  girl, 
and  they  furnish  the  best  of  opportunities  for  direct 
as  well  as  indirect  moral  and  religious  training. 

The  church  that  fails  to  take  account  of,  and  to 
use  to  the  best  advantage,  these  means  of  reaching 
the  children  and  youth  misses  an  important  part  of 
its  opportunity. 

It  is  with  the  hope  of  aiding  those  who  desire  to 
increase  their  effectiveness  in  this  field  that  this 
book  has  been  written.  The  attempt  has  been 
made  to  present  only  such  principles  as  have  stood 
the  test  of  experience  and  ideals  that  have  been 
more  or  less  fully  realized  in  practical  work. 

The  author  wishes  to  acknowledge  his  indebted- 
ness to  the  many  who  have  aided  him  with  informa- 
tion and  suggestions.  The  chapter  on  "Some 
Typical  Church  Programs"  would  have  been  im- 
possible without  the  letters  from  those  mentioned 
therein,  giving  the  results  of  their  own  experience. 
Special  acknowledgment  is  due  to  Rev.  J.  W.  F. 
Davies,  of  Community  House,  Winnetka,  Illinois; 


Foreword  xi 

to  Mr.  Herman  F.  Norton,  supervisor  of  recreation 
and  physical  training  of  the  Board  of  Education, 
Rochester,  New  York;  and  to  Mr.  W.  Arthur 
McKinney,  of  the  Physical  Department  of  East 
High  School,  Rochester. 

Rochester,  N.Y. 
September  g,  191 6 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

I.  The  Religious  Educational  Value  of  Play 

AND  Recreation i 

II.  Studying  the  Recreational  Needs  of  the 

Community 22 

III.  Meeting  the  Recreational  Needs  of  the 
COMMUN^TY 63 

IV.  The  Recreational  Program 87 

V.  Some  Typical  Church  Programs   ....  116 

VI.  Equipment  and  Organization 145 

VII.  Bibliography  of  Play  ant)  Recreation  .     .  165 


CHAPTER  I 

THE  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATIONAL  VALUE  OF  PLAY 
AND  RECREATION 

Why  should  the  church  concern  itself  with  play  ? 
What  part  has  recreation  in  a  program  of  religious 
educational  activities  ?  These  questions  are  often 
asked  by  those  whose  attitude  is  one  of  doubt  and 
by  those  who  do  not  agree  that  the  church  should 
concern  itself  with  such  matters.  They  are  per- 
fectly fair  questions,  and  it  is  better  that  they 
should  be  asked  and  satisfactorily  answered  before 
any  decision  regarding  a  recreational  program  for 
the  church  is  reached.  Unless  they  can  be  satis- 
factorily answered,  it  is  better  that  the  church 
should  refrain  from  entering  upon  this  field  of  work. 
Success  in  any  line  of  social  activity  depends  upon 
clear  conviction  as  to  the  importance  of  the  work 
and  its  vital  relationship  to  the  main  religious  edu- 
cational task. 

There  should  be  no  disposition  on  the  part  of 
anyone  to  lure  the  church  aside  from  the  path  of 
its  great  duty,  that  of  training  children  and  young 
people,  and  older  ones  also,  in  the  principles  of 
religion  and  the  practice  of  Christian  living.  This 
is  its  function  and  its  reason  for  existence,  and 


2  Recreation  and  the  Church 

unless  the  leadership  of  the  church  can  perceive 
some  real  connection  between  the  play  and  recrea- 
tion of  people  and  their  religious  experience  and 
development  in  Christian  character,  then  to  engage 
in  a  program  of  recreational  activities  is  to  depart 
from  its  proper  work. 

There  is  yet  another  reason,  no  less  important, 
why  any  such  work  should  be  undertaken  only 
upon  the  basis  of  thorough  appreciation  of  its 
religious  educational  values.  Upon  no  other  basis 
will  the  church  be  likely  to  put  into  the  enterprise 
the  time,  thought,  effort,  and  money  necessary  to 
make  it  successful ;  and  no  credit  will  come  to  any 
church  through  an  inefficient  piece  of  work.  Too 
many  undertakings  of  this  sort  have  failed  for  no 
other  reason.  The  boys'  club  has  been  maintained 
simply  as  a  bait  to  lure  the  unwary  youngster 
within  reach  of  the  '^ distinctively  religious"  activ- 
ities of  the  church  or  Sunday  school,  so  that  there 
the  "real  spiritual  work"  may  be  done.  Game- 
rooms,  gymnasiums,  reading-rooms,  and  various 
other  social  and  recreational  facilities  have  been 
provided  in  the  same  spirit.  Such  have  usually 
failed.  Successfully  to  conduct  such  features  re- 
quires an  amount  of  careful  planning,  wise  leader- 
ship, and  consecrated  service  difficult  to  secure  for 
an  enterprise  estimated  to  be  of  secondary  impor- 
tance. The  demands  made  are  justified  only  by  a 
clear  vision  of  their  vital  relationship  to  religious 


Value  of  Play  and  Recreation     3 

life  and  character  and  of  their  direct  value  in  the 
development  of  Christian  virtues. 

It  is  therefore  important  to  demonstrate  the 
religious  educational  value  of  play  and  recreation. 
Can  this  be  done  ?  The  answer  to  this  question 
involves  an  intelligent  comprehension  of  the  nature 
of  play  and  its  place  in  human  life. 

In  a  volume  of  this  size  it  is  impossible  to  go  into 
all  the  details  of  the  psychology  of  play,  nor  is  this 
necessary  in  view  of  the  abundant  literature  on  the 
subject  to  which  the  reader  is  referred  in  the  last 
chapter.  It  will  be  sufficient  for  our  purpose  to 
refer  briefly  to  some  of  the  main  theories  that  have 
been  advanced. 

§  I.      THE    SURPLUS-ENERGY   THEORY 

First,  there  is  the  theory  of  surplus  energy  as 
described  by  Herbert  Spencer.  Life  is  at  the  out- 
set a  struggle  for  existence,  and  this  struggle 
occupies  practically  all  the  powers  of  the  lower 
forms  of  organic  life.  Whenever,  in  the  life-history 
of  any  animal,  whether  through  superior  organiza- 
tion or  for  whatever  cause,  there  comes  a  time  in 
which  all  its  strength  is  not  consumed  in  this 
struggle  for  bare  existence,  the  animal  then  finds 
itself  with  a  fund  of  surplus  energy  which  is  ex- 
pressed in  play. 

While  this  theory  cannot  entirely  account  for 
play,  and  certainly  not  for  all  the  various  forms  in 


4  Recreation  and  the  Church 

which  it  finds  expression,  it  does  contribute  an 
important  item  to  the  consideration  of  the  recrea- 
tional problem.  A  fund  of  surplus  energy  is  neces- 
sary if  there  is  to  be  any  real  play  life.  One  may 
as  well  ask  the  engineer  to  draw  a  heavy  train  with 
an  empty  boiler  in  his  locomotive  as  to  say  to  the 
exhausted  product  of  the  sweatshop  or  other  scene 
of  exploited  labor:   Come,  and  play. 

§  2.      PLAY   AS   A   means    OF   EDUCATION 

The  theory  of  Karl  Groos,  that  play  is  one  of 
nature's  methods  of  education,  carries  us  a  step 
farther  toward  an  understanding  of  the  subject. 
The  young  animal  rehearses  in  its  play  the  actions 
that  will  be  of  service  in  adult  life,  and  thus  de- 
velops and  makes  habitual  those  muscular  and 
nervous  adjustments  required  for  the  effective  per- 
formance of  such  actions.  The  kitten  pouncing 
upon  the  ball,  the  puppies  tussling  with  each  other 
with  many  growlings  and  barkings,  the  little  girl 
caring  for  her  dolls,  or  the  boy  playing  store — all 
are  reproducing  in  miniature  the  adult  life  about 
them,  of  which  they  must  later  become  a  part. 
The  higher  we  go  in  the  scale  of  life,  the  more  com- 
plex does  living  become,  and  the  greater  the  range 
of  activities  and  the  adjustments  necessary  to  suc- 
cessful existence.  The  greater  is  the  need,  there- 
fore, for  a  time  of  play  in  which  these  adjustments 
may  be  established.     The  complement  to  this  need 


Value  of  Play  and  Recreation     s 

is  found  in  a  lengthened  period  of  infancy  with  its 
freedom  from  restraints  and  specializations  of  adult 
life  and  its  consequent  opportunity  for  free  play. 

The  simpler  the  organization  of  adult  life,  the 
more  direct  will  be  the  relationship  of  childlike 
play  to  its  activities.  The  play  of  the  young 
savage,  for  example,  is  almost  entirely  limited  to 
acts  which  fit  him  for  the  life  of  the  hunter,  fisher, 
or  warrior;  and  his  play  activities  are  close  imita- 
tions of  these  specific  pursuits.  The  child  of  civi- 
lized parents  in  a  modern  city,  on  the  other  hand, 
has  a  bewildering  variety  of  activities  presented 
for  his  imitation,  and  the  form  of  his  play  is 
governed  by  those  which  most  strongly  impress 
him  at  the  time.  Their  future  value  depends  upon 
their  t>pical  character  and  the  degree  in  which  they 
result  in  adjustments  and  habits  of  general  utility. 

Dr.  Groos  has  made  a  very  suggestive  contribu- 
tion to  the  proper  understanding  of  the  problem. 
Play  is  educational;  through  its  activities,  there  are 
developed  qualities  of  body,  mind,  and  spirit  which 
are  of  use  in  adult  experience.  What  these  qual- 
ities are  to  be,  and  the  value  of  the  play  life  in 
developing  them,  depend  very  largely  upon  the 
manner  in  which  that  play  is  directed. 

§  3.      PLAY   AND    THE   RACLVL-EPOCHS   THEORY 

Dr.  G.  Stanley  Hall  has  added  still  another  item 
for  consideration  by  pointing  out  the  relationship 


6  Recreation  and  the  Church 

between  play  and  the,  theory  of  recapitulation. 
The  theory  is  that  each  animal,  before  or  after 
birth,  or  both,  passes  through  certain  stages  of 
development  and  that  these  stages  recapitulate 
the  epochs  of  animal  and  racial  evolution.  In 
the  plays  and  games  of  childhood  through  all 
the  ages  Dr.  Hall  finds  evidence  of  such  develop- 
ment, and  also  the  explanation  of  man^  oi  the 
forms  in  which  the  play  instinct  expresses  itself. 
The  favorite  games  of  children  of  different  ages 
are  influenced  by  the  instincts  and  impulses  nat- 
ural to  the  stage  of  racial  development  in  which 
the  child  is  living.  Thus,  as  Dr.  Fiske  has  out- 
lined it  in  his  Boy-Life  and  Self-Government,  in 
the  hunting  and  capture,  or  savage,  epoch  we 
find  games  of  stealth  and  stalking:  Bo-peep, 
hide  and  seek,  prisoner's  base,  and  the  like;  in 
the  pastoral  epoch  we  find  children  keeping  pets, 
digging  caves,  and  building  huts;  in  the  agri- 
cultural epoch  we  find  them  planting,  gardening, 
and  so  on. 

This  theory  has  been  overworked.  As  a  guide 
to  educational  practice  it  has  led  many  astray,  but 
as  a  help  to  a  more  sympathetic  understanding  of 
the  instinctive  expressions  of  child  life  it  may  have 
some  value. 

Each  of  these  theories  helps  toward  the  total 
concept  of  play,  and  all  together  they  help  to 
demonstrate  its  value  for  religious  education. 


Value  of  Play  and  Recreation     7 

§  4.       THE    value    of    play 

I.  Play  is  instinctive,  a  universal  element  in  life.— 
Mr.  Henry  S.  Curtis,  in  his  Education  through 
Play,  says: 

Pictured  in  the  earliest  records,  standing  on  the  far  hori- 
zon of  history,  the  children  appear,  and  even  as  today  they 
are  playing,  and  much  the  same  games.  All  down  the  ages, 
whether  on  the  hilltop  or  in  the  city  streets,  in  the  sunlit 
meadow  or  in  the  slime  of  the  gutter,  everywhere  the  child 
and  play  have  seemed  to  go  together.  We  go  out  to  a  base- 
ball game  and  see  the  boy  step  up  to  bat.  He  dashes  around 
the  bases  and  returns  to  the  home  plate  exhausted.  What 
has  he  gained  by  it  ?     Apparently  he  is  no  richer  or  wiser, 

no  better  clothed  or  fed The  only  possible  answer  is 

that  play  must  everywhere  have  served  some  great  purpose, 
or  it  would  not  everywhere  have  survived. 

It  is  marvelous  how  it  does  survive  even  in 
untoward  circumstances.  I  once  saw  a  little  girl 
in  an  alley  in  one  of  our  great  cities.  Mud  lay 
thick  upon  the  ground;  barren  brick  walls,  garbage 
cans,  ash  boxes,  and  ugly  refuse  were  the  only  physi- 
cal surroundings.  There  was  seemingly  nothing 
to  suggest  an  ideal  or  to  stimulate  the  imagination. 
And  yet  she  was  playing — playing  a  game  as  old  as 
childhood  or  as  the  instinct  of  motherhood.  She 
was  giving  her  doll  a  ride,  and  the  doll  carriage  was 
an  old  sardine  can,  with  the  cover  turned  up  to 
form  a  back  and  a  string  to  drag  it  by,  and  the  doll 
was  a  dead  rat  with  a  bit  of  rag  tied  round  its  neck. 
It  was  a  sight  to  grip  one's  heart  and  to  leave  one 


8  Recreation  and  the  Church 

uncertain  whether  to  cry  out  in  angry  protest 
against  conditions  that  could  reduce  childhood  to 
such  straits,  or  to  thank  God  for  the  instinct  that 
enabled  the  child  to  find  this  glimpse  of  the  ideal 
in  such  sordid  environment. 

Here  is  a  great  outstanding  fact  about  play  that 
gives  it  significance  for  education,  religious  or  any 
other  kind :  it  is  a  universal  instinct  and  cannot  be 
crushed  out  except  by  subjecting  the  child  to  a  life 
of  such  deadening  drudgery  as  to  rob  him  of  all 
surplus  energy  and  thus  make  play  impossible. 
This  means  that  children  must  and  will  play,  and 
it  forces  us  to  consider  our  responsibility  for  the 
proper  direction  of  that  play  and  for  decent 
facilities. 

Some  years  ago  the  Russell  Sage  Foundation 
conducted  a  study  of  the  contributing  causes  of 
juvenile  delinquency.  The  records  of  thousands 
of  boys  and  girls  who  had  come  under  the  care  of 
the  juvenile  court  were  tabulated  and  compared. 
Looking  over  some  of  these  records,  I  noted  par- 
ticularly the  character  of  the  complaints  upon 
which  these  children  had  first  been  brought  into 
court,  and  was  struck  with  the  fact  that  the  large 
majority  of  the  acts  committed  were  exactly  like 
the  things  that  I  did  when  a  boy.  Whether  this 
means  that  I  ought  to  have  been  brought  into  court 
or  that  many  of  these  youngsters  ought  not  to  have 
been,  I  shall  not  here  attempt  to  argue,  though  I 


Value  of  Play  axd  Recreation 


lo  Recreation  and  the  Church 

have  my  convictions.  These  things  were  not 
dehberate  and  wilful  attacks  upon  society;  they 
were  simply  mischievous  play.  Most  of  them  were 
the  kind  of  thing  that  people  in  less  crowded 
quarters  and  with  more  chance  to  be  good-natured 
would  have  dismissed  with  a  laugh  and  the  remark, 
"Boys  will  be  boys."  Many  of  them  were  things 
that  never  would  have  been  done  had  the  boys  and 
girls  concerned  had  more  suitable  opportunities 
for  the  exercise  of  the  play  impulse.  One  cannot 
but  wonder  how  severe  will  be  the  ultimate  judg- 
ment upon  a  society  that  denies  to  the  boy  the 
chance  to  play  wholesomely  and  properly,  and  then 
punishes  him  for  playing  improperly. 

Dr.  Forbush  tells  of  a  little  boy  who  was  brought 
into  the  juvenile  court  for  stealing  apples.  He  was 
warned  and  dismissed  only  to  return  on  a  second 
and  then  a  third  complaint  of  the  same  nature. 
Finally,  the  probation  officer  took  him  aside  and 
said:  "Now,  Tim,  tell  me  honest,  why  do  you 
steal  those  apples?  Do  you  get  so  hungry  for 
them  you  just  can't  help  it?"  The  boy  looked 
surprised,  then  said,  "Why,  I  don't  care  about 
eating  them,  but  it  is  such  fun  to  have  old  Smudge 
chase  me." 

2.  In  play  the  child  expresses  his  real  personality 
and  his  strongest  interests. — This  fact  is  of  supreme 
importance  for  religious  education.  The  task  of 
the  church  is  not  merely  to  give  instruction.     It 


Value  of  Play  and  Rfxreation  ii 

is  not  enough  simply  to  give  information  about  the 
Bible  and  other  religious  truth,  important  and 
basal  as  this  may  be.  We  must  aim  at  the  develop- 
ment of  Christian  character,  and  character  comeS' 
through  self-expressive  activity.  Religious  educa- 
tion must  reach  the  will,  the  real  personality,  and 
must  seek  to  lead  that  personality  to  express  itself 
in  ways  that  will  develop  the  right  kind  of  char- 
acter. The  evolution  of  organic  life  has  proceeded 
through  the  response  of  the  individual  to  the  influ- 
ences of  environment.  This  is  true  of  mental  and 
moral,  as  well  as  of  physical,  life.  The  task  of  the 
teacher  in  either  sphere  is  that  of  so  controlHng 
and  modifying  the  environment  of  the  child  as  to 
call  forth  those  reactions  that  are  likely  to  form  the 
desired  habits  of  thought  and  conduct.  In  this 
training  the  reactions  that  are  of  greatest  value 
are  those  that  are  most  genuinely  and  completely 
self-expressive  and,  with  children  and  youth  at 
least,  these  are  most  readily  discovered  in  the  play 
life.  Here  we  touch  the  springs  of  interest  and  we 
may  utilize  that  interest  as  a  powerful  factor  in  the 
accomplishment  of  our  purpose.  Play  furnishes 
the  teacher  or  parent  the  most  immediate  point 
of  contact  with  child  life.  This  fact  alone  would 
justify  our  plea  for  recognition  of  its  religious  educa- 
tional value. 

3.  Play  is  the  serious  business  of  child  life. — This 
is  another  phase  of  the  play  life  that  gives  it  added 


12  Recreation  and  the  Church 

importance  in  the  development  of  character.  It 
is  not  trivial  to  the  child  or  to  the  youth.  Its 
requirements,  its  rules,  its  rewards,  have  for  him 
all  the  authority  that  work  will  have  later.  This  is 
a  point  that  many  adults  fail  to  understand,  and 
so  fail  to  appreciate  the  full  significance  of  play  in 
young  life.  Mr.  Joseph  Lee  has  well  explained  the 
matter  in  his  Play  in  Education: 

There  is  one  consequence  of  the  existence  of  successive 
stages  of  growth,  with  their  different  prepossessions  about 
what  is  worth  doing  and  the  resulting  forms  of  play,  which 
is  of  some  importance  in  itself  and  of  very  great  importance 
in  its  effect  upon  the  grown-up  view  of  children's  play.  I 
mean  the  passing  of  a  given  sort  of  play  activity  from  a 
primary  to  a  secondary  place  in  the  life  and  interest  of  the 
individual. 

At  various  stages  in  the  growth  of  the  child  cer- 
tain games  are  necessary  to  his  physical  and  mental 
development.  He  instinctively  feels  this  require- 
ment and  enters  into  the  game  with  all  the  energy 
and  zeal  of  which  he  is  capable.  In  the  course  of 
time  he  reaches  mature  years,  and  the  duties  of 
home,  social,  commercial,  and  professional  life  take 
the  predominance  and  make  the  first  claim  upon 
his  time  and  energy.  Notwithstanding,  if  he  be  a 
normal  person,  he  still  plays  and  seeks  various 
forms  of  recreation,  but  these  are  now  clearly  under- 
stood by  him  as  play.  He  knows  that  he  is  amus- 
ing himself,  and  he  sets  these  activities  over  against 
his  work,  estimating  them  as  of  secondary  impor- 


Value  of  Play  and  Recreation  13 

tance,  even  reproving  himself  if  he  allows  them  to 
encroach  upon  the  field  of  major  interests. 
Mr.  Lee  continues: 

And  so,  because  what  was  once  advance  has  now  become 
review,  because  what  formerly  possessed  the  seriousness  of 
life  and  death  is  now  only  a  matter  of  recreation,  we  think 
it  was  always  so.  The  "old  man"  thinks  baseball  is  base- 
ball and,  forgetful  of  his  own  boyhood,  assumes  that  what  it 
now  is  to  him  it  always  was,  and  must  be  to  his  son.  He 
concedes  the  necessity  of  "wholesome  exercise,"  believes  in 
walks,  and  even  thinks  amusement  a  good  thing;  but  asks 
what  is  the  fun  of  going  at  it  with  such  disproportioned 
seriousness,  getting  tired,  worrying  about  who  wins.  He 
may  not  ask  the  hero  of  the  winning  team,  as  his  mother 
sometimes  does,  whether  he  is  not  getting  overheated;  but 
he  is  only  a  Httle  less  out  of  it  than  that.  Hence  the  mis- 
understanding between  fathers  and  sons,  mothers  and 
daughters,  the  grown-up  world  and  that  forgotten  world  of 
childhood;  hence  the  failure  to  see  in  play  the  one  most 
serious  business  of  every  child. 

When  we  consider  the  significance  of  this  fact, 
that  in  play  we  deal  with  the  "serious  business"  of 
the  child,  we  shall  understand  that  whatever  prin- 
ciples of  action  and  success  we  may  teach  in  play 
will  have  for  the  child  all  the  authority  and  lasting 
quality  that  similar  principles  have  for  the  adult 
in  the  prosecution  of  his  business  or  profession. 
Many  a  lad  has  learned  lessons  of  co-operation 
with  his  team-mates,  of  self-denial  in  training,  of 
persistence,  endurance,  and  courage  in  turning 
defeat  into  victory,  only  to  have  these  same  lessons 


14  Recreation  and  the  Church 

stay  by  him  in  the  stern  contests  of  later  life  and 
make  him  the  winner  there.  Clear  thinking  here 
also  helps  us  to  avoid  the  common  error  of  suppos- 
ing that  enthusiasm  in  play  unfits  the  child  for 
work,  which  is  untrue.  Excessive  and  unwise 
indulgence  in  play  may  unfit  the  lad  for  real  work, 
just  as  similar  indulgence  in  work  may  unfit  him 
for  play,  and  it  is  a  question  which  is  the  greater 
evil. 

4.  Play  has  direct  educational  value,  moral  and 
religious,  as  well  as  physical  and  mental. — Of  the 
physical-training  value  of  play  there  is  little  doubt 
and  no  need  for  arguing.  The  mental  qualities 
which  are  developed  thereby  are  almost  as  generally 
recognized.  No  one  who  has  ever  played  tennis 
or  baseball  or  football  can  fail  to  understand  the 
demand  which  such  sports  make  for  quick  and  sure 
judgment,  the  nice  balance  between  alertness  and 
self-restraint,  the  fine  adjustment  of  muscular 
response  to  sense-perception,  and  many  other 
qualities  requiring  discipline  of  the  mental  powers. 
And  the  game  which  demands  these  qualities  also 
helps  to  develop  them. 

More  closely  related  to  our  consideration,  but  by 
no  means  so  .universally  recognized,  is  the  value  of 
these  same  activities,  under  proper  guidance,  in  the 
development  of  ethical  traits  both  social  and  indi- 
vidual. Even  in  the  earliest  years  and  in  the 
simplest  forms  of  play  between  brothers  and  sisters 


Value  of  Play  and  Recreation         15 

in  the  home,  children  learn  to  share  with  one 
another  and  to  respect  individual  rights  and  prop- 
erty. As  soon  as  the  child  issues  from  the  home 
life  into  the  wider  circle  of  school  relationships, 
these  lessons  increase  in  number.  When  the  boy 
reaches  the  baseball  age  and  joins  a  team,  he  begins 


A  CLOSE  FINISH 

End  of  a  6o-yard  dash  at  an  inter-Sunday-school  meet,  Rochester,  N.Y. 
These  boys  are  doing  their  best  for  the  honor  of  their  respective  schools. 


to  be  taught  the  value  of  self-restraint  and  co- 
operation in  no  uncertain  manner.  It  is  natural 
for  any  boy  to  love  the  glory  of  lining  out  the  ball 
for  two  or  three  bases,  and  it  is  no  small  matter  for 
him  to  defer  that  satisfaction  for  the  good  of  the 
team  and  to  play  for  a  sacrifice  hit  at  the  captain's 
orders.  And  if  he  fails  to  learn  the  lesson  and 
persists  in  playing  for  his  own  glorification,   he 


1 6  Recreation  and  the  Church 

hears  from  his  team-mates  remarks  about  "grand- 
stand play"  that  leave  him  with  no  illusions  as 
to  its  unpopularity.  If  there  be  a  coach,  he  hears 
from  him  also;  and  persistence  in  the  anti-social 
spirit  is  likely  to  result  in  retirement  from  the  team 
in  favor  of  one  who  will  better  "deny  himself"  and 
follow  the  leader.  Exactly  such  a  situation  was 
described  by  a  boy  in  a  certain  Sunday-school  class 
in  illustration  of  the  statement,  "No  man  liveth 
unto  himself  alone." 

The  spirit  of  fairness  and  justice  may  be  most 
effectively  taught  through  supervised  play.  I 
recall  the  case  of  a  boy  who  came  into  the  gymna- 
sium of  an  Association  boys'  department.  He  was 
somewhat  of  a  weakling,  had  been  kept  too  closely 
at  home  for  a  boy  of  his  age,  and  found  it  difiticult 
to  hold  his  own  in  the  ordinary  rough-and-tumble 
of  boy  life.  As  a  consequence  he  had  developed 
considerable  facility  in  achieving  his  ends  by  round- 
about and  underhand  methods.  He  was  in  a  fair 
way  of  becoming  a  sneak.  The  director  studied 
his  case  and  found  one  thing  that  he  could  do  well. 
He  could  run,  having  practiced  that  of  stern  neces- 
sity. He  was  encouraged  to  enter  the  track-meets, 
and  before  long  he  tasted  the  sweet  fruits  of  victory 
by  his  own  honest  efforts.  One  day  the  race  was 
close  and  he  was  hard  pushed.  A  thrust  of  the 
elbow  at  the  turn,  his  opponent  was  thrown  out 
of  his  stride  and  fell  behind.     With  elation  the  lad 


Value  of  Play  and  Recreation         17 

turned  to  the  referee  at  the  close  of  the  race  only 
to  be  greeted  with  a  shake  of  the  head  and  "Too 
bad;  you  are  disquahfied."  Then  and  there  he 
learned  that  in  an  honestly  managed  race  he  could 
not  hope  to  win  by  foul  means.  But  winning  had 
become  too  precious  to  be  given  up,  and,  moreover, 


THE  BEST  FUN  OF  ALL 

Scene  at  the  diving  platform  of  Camp  Ida,  conducted  by  the  Boys'  De- 
partment of  the  Rochester  (N.Y.)  Y.M.C.A.,  at  Canandaigua  Lake.  The 
morning  dip  and  the  daily  swims  mean  good  sport  and  personal  health  and 

cleanliness. 

he  knew  that  honest  victory  left  the  better  taste. 
He  determined,  therefore,  that  he  would  win  fairly. 
In  six  months'  time  the  change  in  that  boy,  not 
only  in  the  gymnasium,  but  at  home  and  at  school, 
was  so  marked  as  to  be  noticed  and  commented 
upon  by  parents  and  teachers  alike. 

It  was  a  late  October  afternoon.     On  the  grid- 
iron twenty-two  young  men  toiled  and  struggled 


1 8  Recreation  and  the  Church 

in  a  contest  of  nerve  and  muscle  that  was  to 
decide  an  important  football  game.  On  the 
bleachers  several  hundreds  of  other  young  men 
strained  their  vocal  cords  in  the  effort  to  cheer 
Alma  Mater  on  to  victory.  Suddenly  from  out 
the  scrimmage  a  lithe  form  darted  with  the  ball 
under  one  arm,  eluded  the  tackles,  dodged  the 
full-back,  and  never  stopped  until  safe  behind  the 
goal  line.  The  captain  of  the  opposing  team  did 
not  join  the  chase,  but  rushed  up  to  the  referee  and 
protested  the  score  on  the  ground  that  the  man 
was  offside  when  he  got  the  ball.  The  ofhcial 
shook  his  head;  he  had  seen  no  foul,  neither  had 
the  umpire.  The  captain  of  the  team  that  had 
scored  glanced  over  to  the  side  lines  where  a  quiet 
man  sat  watching.  One  quick  look  of  under- 
standing passed  between  captain  and  coach,  and 
the  former  walked  up  to  the  referee  with  the  re- 
mark: "He  was  offside  all  right;  we  don't  want 
the  score."  The  points  were  lost,  but  never  was 
victory  more  heartily  cheered  than  the  one  that 
there  was  gained.  In  addition,  a  moral  lesson  was 
taught  that  went  on  repeating  itself  in  the  training 
quarters  and  about  the  fraternity  firesides  of  both 
colleges  for  many  a  day  thereafter.  It  is  a  pity 
that  such  chances  are  so  often  lost  in  the  heat  of 
conflict.  The  spirit  that  takes  for  its  motto 
"Anything  to  win"  finds  expression  in  business 
life  in  "Anything  for  dividends,"  and  vice  versa. 


Value  of  Play  and  Recreation  19 

Not  only  ethical,  but  distinctively  religious 
attitudes  may  be  cultivated  in  the  play  of  children 
and  youth.  We  recall  one  inspiring  Christian 
mother  who  looked  back  to  the  family  prayers  she 
used  to  have  with  her  dolls  as  one  of  the  strongest 
influences  in  fixing  the  habit  of  prayer  in  her  own 
life.  More  than  one  child  has  worshiped  most 
sincerely  when  playing  "church."  Even  the  ethi- 
cal lessons  of  the  game  may,  and  should,  be  con- 
sciously linked  up  with  their  Christian  basis.  I 
knew  one  young  man  in  college  who  used  to  pray 
regularly  and  earnestly  for  grace  to  control  his 
temper  when  playing  football,  and  who  definitely 
recognized  success  in  this  respect  as  a  victory  in  his 
own  struggle  for  Christian  living. 

5.  The  influence  of  play  upon  character  is  inevi- 
table.— All  that  has  been  said  tends  to  show  the 
possibilities  of  play  as  an  influence  in  Christian 
training  if  it  be  wisely  directed.  One  thing  more 
needs  to  be  said  before  we  leave  this  aspect  of  the 
case:  play  is  not  only  a  possible,  but  an  inevitable, 
factor  in  the  formation  of  character.  The  possi- 
bilities between  which  we  may  choose  are  those 
of  good  or  bad  influences;  as  to  there  being  some 
influence  one  way  or  the  other,  we  have  no  choice. 
The  fact  that  in  play  and  recreation  the  child 
expresses  his  real  self,  interestedly  and  seriously, 
throwing  every  atom  of  himself  into  it,  makes  in- 
evitable the  establishment  of  appropriate  attitudes 


20  Recreation  and  the  Church 

of  mind  and  habits  of  life.  No  boy  can  be 
allowed  to  pUy  dishonestly  without  becoming  less 
trustworthy  in  other  respects.  No  girl  can  spend 
her  time  in  excessive  attendance  upon  the  theater 
or  moving-picture  show,  or  in  the  reading  of  senti- 
mental novels,  without  becoming  more  or  less 
frivolous  and  shallow. 

The  responsibility  for  providing  adequate  and 
proper  play  facilities  for  the  children  and  youth  of 
any  community  is  a  moral  duty  that  cannot  be 
lightly  evaded,  and  the  church  must  take  at  least 
an  intelligent  interest  therein.  The  boy  who  can 
find  no  better  place  to  play  than  the  crowded  street 
or  the  alley,  and  who  is  driven  to  stealing  apples 
or  snowballing  wagon-drivers  for  the  lack  of  variety, 
is  not  alone  to  blame  if  he  gets  into  trouble.  The 
girl  who  can  find  no  better  outlet  for  her  craving 
for  social  fellowship  than  the  cheap  dance  hall  has 
a  just  cause  of  complaint  against  those  who  fail  to 
do  their  part  in  providing  something  more  ele- 
vating. 

More  might  be  said  of  the  importance  of  play 
in  human  life,  of  the  value  of  the  play  spirit  carried 
over  into  work  and  giving  zest  to  life  because  of 
its  joyousness,  but  enough  has  surely  been  said  to 
establish  the  point  that  we  seek  to  make,  that  play 
and  recreation  have  a  definite  relationship  to 
religious  education,  that  they  possess  inherent 
value  as  means  of  training  in  Christian  character, 


Value  of  Play  and  Recreation         21 

and  that  they  therefore  have  a  valid  claim  upon  the 
thoughtful  attention  of  those  in  the  church  whose 
task  it  is  to  lead  the  unfolding  life  of  childhood 
and  youth  to  its  highest  and  best  expression.  Life 
is  a  growth;  its  development  is  going  on  all  about 
us  and  we  shall  never  be  fully  successful  in  direct- 
ing that  development  aright  if  we  ignore  this 
phase  of  life's  activity.  People  will  play,  thank 
God!  We  may  play  with  them  if  we  will,  and 
thereby  help  them  to  realize  the  best  that  this 
instinct  has  to  offer;  or  we  may  hold  aloof,  adopt 
an  attitude  of  narrow,  indiscriminate  condemna- 
tion or  at  best  of  cold  indifference,  and  allow  the 
boys  and  girls  to  play  on  without  us  and  without 
our  sjnnpathetic  guidance.  If  the  latter  be  our 
choice,  we  shall  have  to  face  the  evil  results  of  our 
policy. 


CHAPTER  II 

STUDYING  THE  RECREATIONAL  NEEDS  OF 
THE  COMMUNITY 

A  common  criticism  upon  the  methods  of  institu- 
tional work  adopted  by  the  church  is  that  they  are 
haphazard  and  scattering  and  that  they  fail  to 
secure  the  best  results  by  a  proper  adaptation  of 
means  to  ends.  The  criticism  is  undoubtedly  just, 
and  the  reasons  for  this  defect  are  not  hard  to  find. 
Too  often  the  recreational  program  of  the  church 
results,  not  from  any  clear  vision  of  the  value  of 
such  work  in  religious  education,  or  from  thorough 
understanding  of  the  needs  of  children  and  youth, 
on  the  part  of  the  church  as  a  whole  or  even  of  its 
responsible  leaders.  Such  vision  as  there  may  be  is 
often  limited  to  a  single  group  or  individual  who 
decides  that  something  should  be  done  and  who 
goes  to  work  without  any  comprehensive  plan. 
Sometimes  there  is  no  real  vision  of  educational 
opportunity,  but  merely  a  desire  to  amuse  the  chil- 
dren and  youth,  laudable  in  itself,  but  not  suffi- 
ciently far-reaching.  Sometimes  the  underlying 
cause  is  a  still  less  worthy  desire  to  get  into  the 
game  and  hold  the  children  before  some  other  more 
enterprising  church  lures  them  away  by  superior 
attractions. 


Studying  Needs  of  the  Community      23 

It  is  comforting  to  be  able  to  remind  those  who 
are  a  little  too  willing  to  criticize  the  church  for  her 
methods  that  she  has  no  monopoly  in  this  defect. 
Charity  organization  societies  have  been  found  in 


PYRAMID-BUILDING 

Athletic  stunts  are  highly  interesting  to  boys  in  the  early  adolescent 
period.     They  are  good  material  for  exhibitions  and  entertainments. 


whose  work  the  same  shortcomings  may  be  noted. 
School  boards  are  in  existence  which  are  failing  to 
provide  adequately  for  the  educational  needs  of  the 
children.  An  illustration  may  be  found  in  the 
recreational  line  which  it  is  worth  while  to  give  in 
some  detail,  not  with  any  desire  to  evade  just 


24  Recreation  and  the  Church 

criticism  of  the  church's  methods  by  shifting  atten- 
tion to  others,  but  because  it  shows  so  clearly  the 
faults  that  the  church,  as  well  as  other  agencies, 
needs  to  avoid.  The  illustration  is  the  more  valu- 
able because  it  represents,  not  an  extremely  bad 
case,  but  one  in  which  conditions  were  above  the 
average. 

The  city  of  Rochester  had  made  much  of  recrea- 
tion for  many  years,  and  had  done  a  great  deal  of 
useful  work,  when  in  1913  it  invited  Mr.  Haynes, 
field  secretary  of  the  Playground  and  Recreation 
Association  of  America,  to  make  a  thorough  survey 
of  the  field  and  its  needs  as  a  step  toward  still  more 
effective  methods.  After  commenting  favorably 
upon  the  evident  desire  of  the  city  officials,  the 
individual  workers,  and  the  general  public  to  see 
good  work  done,  and  the  willingness  of  all  to  spend 
money  and  to  work  earnestly  toward  that  end, 
Mr,  Haynes  pointed  out  the  defects  that  needed 
correction : 

The  recreation  needs  of  neighborhoods  where  playground 
and  recreation  work  is  being  done  are  not  being  adequately- 
met.  In  some  cases  whole  groups  are  not  being  reached 
....  and  in  other  cases  of  groups  touched,  not  all  are  being 
reached  who  might  be.  Thus,  in  seven  school  playgrounds 
we  find  that  of  those  children  within  the  quarter-mile  radius 
only  about  41  per  cent  out  of  a  possible  75  per  cent  are  being 
reached. 

The  chief  causes  for  this  difficulty  assigned  by 
Mr.  Haynes  were  as  follows:   the  playground  and 


Studying  Needs  of  the  Community      25 

recreation  directors  did  not  know  the  neighbor- 
hoods in  which  they  were  working;  the  neighbor- 
hood needs  were  not  being  treated  as  a  unit,  but 
piecemeal  by  many  different  hands ;  in  some  neigh- 
borhoods work  was  being  done  by  from  two  to  five 
different  agencies,  "yet  no  one  seemed  to  know  the 
recreation  needs  of  the  neighborhood  as  a  whole, 
or  what  proportion  of  them  w^ere  being  met." 
Another  cause  was  that  work  was  being  carried  on 
by  topical,  rather  than  by  neighborhood,  specializa- 
tion. In  other  words,  the  kind  of  activities  pro- 
moted and  the  facilities  furnished  were  determined 
by  the  particular  abilities  or  ideas  of  those  in 
charge  rather  than  by  an  inteUigent  understanding 
of  neighborhood  needs  or  desires.  A  playground 
leader  especially  interested  and  capable  in  basket- 
ball might  have  a  group  of  boys  enthusiastically 
playing  that  game  almost  to  the  exclusion  of  other 
things,  when  in  that  particular  neighborhood  there 
was  a  much  larger  number  of  little  children  who 
needed  sand  piles  and  a  wading  pool.  Still  another 
defect  was  the  lack  of  a  definite  aim  on  the  part  of 
all  the  workers,  comparatively  few  having  any 
large  vision  of  their  opportunity  for  individual 
character  development  or  general  neighborhood 
improvement. 

The  only  difference  between  this  situation  in 
Rochester  and  that  which  prevails  in  the  recrea- 
tional work  of  the  large  majority  of  churches  is 


26  Recreation  and  the  Church 

that  the  city  had  the  perception  and  the  means  to 
call  in  an  expert  investigator  and  to  act  upon  his 
suggestions.  Today  the  public  recreational  activ- 
ities of  the  city  are  under  the  supervision  of  a 
central  bureau  of  recreation  with  a  competent 
director,  and  the  defects  pointed  out  above  are 
rapidly  disappearing. 

For  the  church  to  which  has  come  a  vision  of  its 
opportunity  the  first  step  should  be  a  comprehen- 
sive study  of  the  recreational  needs  of  the  children 
and  youth  in  the  community  and  of  the  existing 
facilities  for  meeting  those  needs.  With  this 
information  in  hand,  the  church  can  decide  more 
intelligently  what  additional  facilities  should  be 
provided,  what  needs  to  be  done  in  the  improve- 
ment of  those  already  existing,  and  just  what  its 
particular  share  in  the  task  should  be.  Such  a 
study  should  by  all  means  be  undertaken  as  a 
community  enterprise  by  all  the  churches  in  co- 
operation. Every  dictate  of  common-sense  favors 
this  course.  The  information  to  be  gained  is  of 
common  interest  to  all;  much  of  the  work  to  be 
done  must  be  done  co-operatively  or  fail  of  its 
highest  effectiveness,  and  to  undertake  it  separately 
is  a  foolish  waste  of  time  and  money.  To  an  in- 
creasing extent  our  church  federations  are  demon- 
strating this  point. 

It  is  undoubtedly  better  in  such  cases  to  call  in 
the  services  of  an  expert  in  survey  work.     Such 


Studying  Needs  of  the  Community      27 

may  be  secured  through  the  social  service  depart- 
ments of  various  denominations,  the  Playground 
and  Recreation  Association  of  America,  or  the 
recreation  department  of  the  Russell  Sage  Founda- 
tion. The  expense  will  vary  according  to  the  size 
of  the  community  and  the  complexity  of  the  prob- 
lem. It  is  safe  to  say,  however,  that  the  cost  will 
not  be  considered  prohibitive  if  the  churches  work 
together  in  it  and  have  an  adequate  conception  of 
its  importance.  Usually  such  surveys  are  made  to 
cover,  not  alone  the  recreational  problem,  but  the 
general  social  conditions  and  needs  of  which  this  is 
a  part.  Examples  of  such  surveys  are  those  made 
by  the  Fourth  Presbyterian  Church  of  Chicago,  the 
Clinton  Avenue  Congregational  Church  of  Brook- 
lyn, the  Epworth  Memorial  Church  of  Cleveland, 
and  the  Moravian  Country  Church  Commission 
in  Coopersburg,  Pennsylvania. 

While  the  trained  expert  is  usually  able  to  get  at 
the  salient  facts  and  to  evaluate  them  more  readily 
and  accurately  than  the  average  untrained  worker, 
such  leaders  will  make  use  of  volunteer  forces  and 
give  them  valuable  experience  in  doing  the  work; 
and  even  without  the  expert  the  churches  may 
make  very  satisfactory  studies  and  secure  informa- 
tion that  will  make  their  future  work  much  more 
effective.  From  the  published  reports  of  such  sur- 
veys, made  by  the  above-mentioned  agencies,  it  is 
possible  to  determine  the  kind  of  facts  that  should 


28  Recreation  and  the  Church 

be  ascertained  and  their  relation  to  the  problem  of 
recreation.  The  following  outline  is  a  composite 
from  several  such  studies  and  may  be  suggestive 
to  churches  wishing  to  know  their  problem. 

The  chief  points  on  which  information  is  needed 
are  as  follows: 

§  I.  HOW  ARE  THE  CHILDREN  AND  YOUNG  PEOPLE 
ACTUALLY  SPENDING  THEIR  LEISURE  TIME? 
WHAT  FORMS  OP  PLAY  AND  RECREATION 
PREDOMINATE  ? 

This  information  may  be  secured  in  at  least 
three  ways,  all  of  which  should  be  adopted  so  that 
the  results  may  check  and  supplement  each  other. 

I.  Ask  the  children  to  write  papers  telling  just 
what  they  did  to  amuse  themselves  during  a  given 
time,  as  "last  Saturday,"  "last  week  after  school," 
"during  the  Easter  or  Christmas  vacation,"  etc. 
The  accounts  should  be  made  very  definite  and 
concrete.  If  the  writer  played  games,  he  should 
tell  what  game;  if  he  went  to  a  show,  he  should 
tell  what  show.  This  may  be  done  by  the  pupils 
in  the  Sunday  school,  but  they  should  be  told  to 
write  frankly,  and  should  understand  that  the  in- 
formation they  give  will  be  treated  as  confidential, 
that  the  papers  will  not  be  read  by  their  teachers, 
but  only  by  a  certain  committee  whose  purpose  in 
getting  the  information  is  to  help  provide  better 
opportunities  for  their  recreation. 


Studying  Needs  of  the  Community      29 

2.  Send  out  competent  investigators,  people  of 
good  judgment  and  tact,  to  observe  the  children 
on  the  streets  in  the  various  districts  of  the  com- 
munity or  parish  to  see  just  what  they  are  doing. 
Such  reports  should  give  the  number  of  children 
of  each  sex  observed,  their  ages,  as  closely  as  pos- 
sible, the  nature  of  their  pursuits,  names  of  the 
games  played,  and  general  conditions. 

3.  Send  investigators  to  visit  the  various 
places  of  public  and  commercial  amusement,  such 
as  parks,  playgrounds,  theaters,  moving-picture 
shows,  dance  halls,  and  the  like.  These  visits 
should  be  repeated  frequently  enough  within  a 
given  period  to  be  sure  that  the  resulting  informa- 
tion will  be  typical.  Information  reported  should 
cover  an  average  week's  attendance,  the  proportion 
of  boys  and  girls  of  different  ages,  as  grammar- 
school  age,  high-school  age,  adults,  etc.;  general 
conditions  both  physical  and  moral,  such  as  venti- 
lation, protection  in  case  of  fire,  character  of  the 
entertainment,  etc.  This  part  of  the  investiga- 
tion will  give  information,  not  only  as  to  the  manner 
in  which  a  certain  proportion  of  the  children  and 
youth  are  spending  their  time,  but  also  as  to  the 
character  of  these  recreational  facilities. 

A  study  of  ten  different  surveys  made  by  various 
organizations  in  as  many  cities  east  and  west,  the 
cities  ranging  in  population  from  five  or  six  thou- 
sand to  over  two  hundred  thousand,  and  covering 


30  Recreation  and  the  Church 

many  thousands  of  children,  reveals  essentially 
the  same  facts,  some  of  which  are  highly  suggestive 
as  to  the  problem  which  confronts  the  church  and 
the  community.  At  least  one-half  of  the  children 
observed  during  their  leisure  hours  were  idling 
or  walking  aimlessly.  Anyone  with  the  slightest 
recollection  of  his  own  childhood  days  knows  the 
danger  of  mischief,  not  to  use  a  stronger  term,  which 
always  exists  when  groups  of  boys  or  girls  are  hang- 
ing around,  *' waiting  for  someone  to  start  some- 
thing." More  than  half  of  these  children  were  seen 
to  be  upon  the  streets,  from  lo  per  cent  to  20  per 
cent  in  backyards,  a  smaller  percentage  in  vacant 
lots,  and  a  still  smaller,  averaging  about  5  per  cent, 
in  playgrounds.  The  obvious  unfitness  of  the 
public  streets,  with  their  physical  and  moral  perils 
as  playgrounds  for  our  children,  makes  this  sig- 
nificant. Still  another  fact  to  command  attention 
is  the  limited  range  of  games  and  amusements  par- 
ticipated in  by  the  average  child.  Baseball  and 
football  appear  to  be  about  the  only  games  played 
by  a  majority  of  the  boys,  and  tag  and  hide  and 
seek  by  a  majority  of  the  girls.  This  means  that  a 
large  number  of  the  games  which  are  valuable  for 
their  physical,  mental,  and  moral  qualities  are 
unknown  or  neglected  by  the  majority  of  children. 
Any  child  will  tire  of  one  or  two  games  in  time,  and 
undoubtedly  the  large  percentage  of  time  spent  in 
idling  or  loafing,  with  its  attendant  dangers,  could 


Studying  Needs  of  the  Community      31 

be  reduced  by  a  leadership  which  would  enlarge  the 
repertoire  of  games. 

The  large  part  which  the  theater,  and  especially 
the  moving-picture  show,  plays  in  the  amusement 
of  children  is  another  fact  which  calls  for  serious 
thought.  In  the  papers  written  by  school  children 
the  moving-picture  show  is  mentioned  by  75  per 
cent  or  more,  and  from  30  per  cent  to  40  per  cent 
are  in  the  habit  of  attending  it  at  least  once  a  week. 
To  view  the  matter  from  another  angle,  the  reports 
of  investigators  who  attended  these  shows  and 
estimated  the  weekly  attendance  indicate  this  to 
be  nearly,  if  not  quite,  equal  to  the  entire  popula- 
tion of  the  city.  Of  this  attendance,  about  20  per 
cent  are  estimated  to  be  children  and  young  people 
under  twenty-five  years  of  age.  The  full  signifi- 
cance of  this  fact  will  be  seen  when  we  come  to 
discuss  the  character  of  these  entertainments. 

§  2,   WTIAT  are  the  opportunities  FOR  FREE 

PLAY  AND  RECREATION  AS  REGARDS  THE 

AMOUNT  OF  OPEN  SPACE  AVAILABLE  ? 

The  surveys  which  include  this  point,  as  most 
of  them  do,  secure  the  necessary  information  as 
follows : 

1.  Total  population  of  the  city,  ward,  or  district; 
from  the  census. 

2.  Population  of  children  of  different  age  groups; 
from  the  school  census. 


32  Recreation  and  the  Church 

3.  Distribution  of  this  population  by  blocks  or 
other  convenient  areas. 

4.  Proportion  of  space  in  each  district  occupied 
by  {a)  streets  and  alleys,  {h)  private  yards,  (c)  build- 
ings and  interspaces  less  than  25X25  feet,  this 
measurement  being  accepted  as  the  smallest 
amount  of  space  on  which  four  or  five  children  or 
the  minimum  game  group  can  and  will  play  with 
any  satisfaction. 

The  remaining  space,  not  thus  occupied,  gives 
us  the  available  area  for  proper  play.  If  this  space 
includes  playgrounds  or  parks,  the  facts  concern- 
ing their  location,  equipment,  and  supervision  need 
to  be  taken  into  account  before  any  correct  judg- 
ment can  be  formed  as  to  their  adequacy.  These 
points  will  be  noted  later. 

A  comparison  of  the  total  number  of  children 
and  young  people  in  a  given  district  with  the  avail- 
able play  space  will  often  give  interesting,  and  even 
startling,  results.  It  answers  the  question  as  to 
why  so  many  children  play  in  the  streets.  For 
many  of  them  there  is  no  other  place  in  which  to 
play.  The  growth  of  our  cities  is  rapidly  doing 
away  with  the  vacant  lots.  In  my  own  boyhood 
in  Chicago  "our  gang"  used  to  roam  over  a  large 
area  of  unimproved  property  near  our  homes. 
There  was  ample  space  for  baseball  and  football. 
There  was  even  one  place  where  some  excavation 
had  been  made  in  which  we  used  to  dig. caves, 


Studying  Needs  of  the  Community      ;^t, 

make  fires,  and  roast  potatoes  and  corn.  We  were 
in  turn  castaways,  pirates,  Indians,  soldiers,  and 
seekers  for  treasure,  and  all  in  good  spirit.  Today 
there  is  not  a  vacant  lot  of  any  size  in  that  district. 
The  paper  of  one  thirteen-year-old  school  boy 
quoted  by  Mr.  Haynes  portrays  most  graphically 
the  plight  of  thousands  like  him : 

I  went  to  the  moving  pictures  and  stayed  until  late.  I 
would  have  kicked  football,  but  the  people  would  not  allow 
it  because  of  the  dust.  1  threw  a  few  rocks  at  some  negroes. 
For  fun  I  get  the  football  and  kick  it  until  I  am  told  to  go 
away  and  then  I  go  to  the  alley.  It  cuts  the  football  to 
have  it  kicked  on  the  cobblestones.  I,  with  several  other 
boys,  play  on  the  railroad  bridge,  jumping,  resting  from  the 
heat  of  the  sun,  and  learning  to  run  fast  and  to  do  tricks 
on  the  ties.     If  we  are  careful  we  don't  often  skin  our  shins. 

In  another  city  there  recently  appeared  in  the 
paper  a  letter  from  a  "Taxpayer"  complaining  of 
the  racket  made  by  the  children  roller-skating  on 
the  sidewalks,  and  calling  upon  the  city  authorities 
to  put  a  stop  to  the  nuisance.  Another  resident 
was  moved  to  write  a  letter  suggesting  that  the 
children  needed  some  chance  to  play,  and  pleading 
for  a  little  consideration  for  them.  That  was  the 
signal  for  a  series  of  letters  from  other  ''Taxpayers " 
in  the  course  of  which  complaints  were  made  against 
the  children  for  skating  on  the  walks,  playing  in  the 
streets,  playing  ball  in  vacant  lots,  ratthng  sticks 
against  fences,  running  over  lawns,  and  a  few  other 
misdemeanors.     Finally,    another    correspondent, 


34  ;^ECREATION   AND   THE    ChURCH 

who  evidently  had  some  appreciation  of  the  child's 
point  of  view  and  a  sense  of  humor  as  well,  sar- 
castically suggested  as  a  remedy  that  there  should 
be  no  boys,  and  that  parents  who  had  them  should 
be  fined.  All  of  which  is  highly  suggestive  to  the 
person  interested  in  child  life  and  religious  train- 
ing and  the  strongest  possible  argument  for  an 
adequate  provision  of  playgrounds  in  every  com- 
munity. 

§  3.      WHAT  FACILITIES  FOR  PLAY  AND  RECREATION 
EXIST   AND    WHAT    IS    THEIR    CHARACTER? 

The  information  needed  on  this  point  may  be 
sought  for  under  three  heads:  private  facilities, 
including  homes,  churches,  clubs,  and  other  insti- 
tutions, such  as  the  Y.M.C.A.,  Y.W.C.A.,  etc.; 
commercial  facilities,  such  as  theaters,  amusement 
parks,  dance  halls,  poolrooms,  or  any  other  centers 
of  recreation  conducted  for  financial  profit;  and 
public  facilities,  maintained  and  conducted  by  the 
city,  such  as  parks,  playgrounds,  schools,  and  the 
like. 

I.  Private  facilities. — a)  Homes:  The  home  is 
the  natural  center  of  the  child's  life,  and  under 
normal  conditions  the  children  and  youth  will  have 
their  standards  of  amusement  set  and  will  find  many 
of  their  pleasures  there.  Such  conditions  un- 
fortunately do  not  always  prevail.  In  the  home  of 
poverty,  in  which  there  is  barely  space  enough  to 


Studying  Needs  of  the  Community      35 

live  and  not  enough  for  even  that  in  any  true  sense 
of  the  word,  the  children  must  perforce  seek  their 
amusements  elsewhere.  There  is  not  money 
enough  for  any  but  the  cheapest  and  poorest  of 
commercial  recreation,  and  often  not  even  that. 
Idealism  of  any  kind  is  crushed  out  by  the  burden 
of  struggle  for  mere  existence,  and  proper  standards 
of  amusement  cannot  be  expected. 

Another  problem  is  presented  by  the  home  of  the 
average  wage-earner  who  manages  to  keep  a 
fairly  comfortable  home  for  his  family,  but  whose 
margin  between  living  expenses  and  income  is  so 
scant  that  there  is  Httle  available  for  recreation. 
The  temptations  which  assail  the  children  and 
youth  of  such  a  home  are  very  great,  for  their 
desires  for  good  times  are  strong.  They  probably 
have  to  go  to  work  at  an  early  age,  a  fact  which 
only  increases  the  craving  for  amusement  and 
relaxation  in  what  leisure  they  may  have ;  but  they 
too  are  Hmited  to  the  less  expensive,  and  often 
undesirable,  type  of  commercial  recreation.  The 
motion-picture  show,  the  cheap  theater,  the  dance 
hall,  and  the  amusement  park  constitute  the  major 
portion  of  their  opportunity. 

Even  the  homes  with  means  and  opportunity 
are  not  wanting  in  their  problems,  for  too  often  in 
these  there  is  lack  of  vision  or  responsibility  con- 
cerning this  important  phase  of  young  life.  Par- 
ents too  often  fail  to  recognize  the  power  of  the 


36  Recreation  and  the  Church 

craving  for  amusement,  or  are  too  much  concerned 
with  their  own  affairs  to  pay  much  attention  to 
proper  provision  for  recreation. 

All  such  conditions  have  an  important  bearing 
upon  the  recreational  problem  and  should  be 
studied  by  the  church.  In  one  city  where  the  home 
and  neighborhood  conditions  were  studied  by  the 
Playground  and  Recreation  Association,  out  of  64 
school  districts  28  were  classed  as  poor  or  very 
poor,  13  as  fair  to  poor,  11  as  fair,  6  as  fair  to  good, 
and  6  as  good.  A  few  typical  descriptions  under 
these  heads  will  be  suggestive: 

Very  poor:  "A  social  and  recreation  center  would  fill  a 
great  need.  Very  needy  section.  Majority  of  children  have 
both  parents  at  work." 

Poor;  some  fair:  "Mostly  small  houses  and  large 
families.  Street  attracts.  Young  people  loaf  there  and  in 
stores,  and  attend  shows.  Parents  say  they  cannot  keep 
children  at  home." 

Fair:  "Houses  good,  but  not  used  as  should  be.  Most 
parents  in  comfortable  circumstances.  Moving-picture 
shows  draw  largely.  Much  street  play  for  an  open  district. 
School  yard  too  small.     Park  used  considerably." 

Good:  "A  good  residential  district.  Families  of  medium 
size.  Some  homes  much  used.  Fairly  good  opportunities 
for  outdoor  sports.  Recreation  facilities  seem  adequate 
for  the  present." 

This  study  of  an  average  city  indicates  that  only 
a  little  more  than  one-third  of  the  home  and  neigh- 
borhood conditions  could  be  ranked  as  fair  or  better 


Studying  Needs  of  the  Community      37 

from  the  recreational  point  of  view,  and  less  than 
one-tenth  as  good. 

Still  another  quotation  from  the  survey  made  in 
Ipswich,  Massachusetts,  by  the  Russell  Sage  Foun- 
dation, throws  light  upon  home  conditions: 

An  interesting  side-light  on  the  sUght  attention  paid  by 
the  home  to  the  play  life  of  the  children  is  seen  in  the  reports 
on  the  parties  which  children  have.  Information  concern- 
ing parties  was  received  from  147  boys  and  156  girls.  One 
hundred  boys  had  had  no  parties  for  their  own  friends  dur- 
ing the  past  year,  24  had  one  party  and  1 1  entertained  twice. 
Twelve  held  more  than  two  parties.  A  total  of  95  parties 
was  reported.  The  girls  had  been  hostesses  more  frequently 
than  the  boys,  32  reporting  one  party,  14  two  parties,  and 
21  more  than  two  parties  during  the  past  year.  Eighty- 
eight  girls  reported  no  parties.  Twenty-one  girls  had  72 
of  all  the  parties.  One  hundred  and  thirty-seven  parties 
were  held  in  all  by  the  girls. 

b)  Associations  and  settlements:  With  these 
may  be  classed  all  organizations  of  semipublic 
nature,  but  under  private  auspices,  which  are 
religious  or  ethical  in  their  purpose.  They  can 
usually  be  counted  upon  as  in  sympathy  with  the 
aims  of  the  church,  and  the  Young  Men's  Chris- 
tian Associations  and  Young  Women's  Christian 
Associations  are  making  increasing  effort  to  plan 
their  work  so  that  it  will  be  co-operative  and  not 
competitive.  The  facts  which  it  is  important  to 
learn  concerning  such  organizations  are  the  extent 
and  nature  of  their  equipment  and  leadership,  the 


38  Recreation  and  the  Church 

numbers  and  ages  of  children  and  young  people 
which  they  attract,  and  how  well  their  activities 
are  adapted  to  the  interests  and  needs  of  the  com- 
munity. Such  information  will  serve  to  show  what 
part  these  institutions  are  taking  in  the  solution  of 
the  problem,  how  they  may  be  supplemented  or 
improved,  and  will  suggest  ways  in  which  the 
churches  may  co-operate. 

c)  Clubs:  Still  another  type  of  private  organi- 
zation for  recreational  purposes  is  found  in  the 
various  clubs  with  dues  and  more  restricted  mem- 
bership. These  differ  widely  in  character,  ranging 
all  the  way  from  the  small  social  and  athletic  clubs 
meeting  in  limited  rented  quarters  to  the  large 
clubs  with  their  own  buildings,  or  the  country  club 
with  buildings  and  grounds  for  golf,  tennis,  and 
similar  sports. 

Such  organizations  are  a  considerable  factor  in 
the  recreational  problem,  providing  as  they  do  for 
the  leisure  time  of  large  numbers  of  people.  Many 
of  them  offer  wholesome  amusement  and  oppor- 
tunities for  physical  exercise  of  high  order.  Some 
of  them,  unfortunately,  present  a  serious  problem. 
Some  of  the  smaller  clubs  are  merely  places  of 
resort  for  tough  gangs  which  are  a  menace  to  the 
neighborhood  or  to  the  entire  community.  Nor  are 
the  unfavorable  conditions  limited  to  the  smaller 
and  less  expensive  organizations.  There  are  nu- 
merous instances  like  one  reported  in  a  survey  of 


Studying  Needs  of  the  Community      39 

the  Russell  Sage  Foundation  from  which  I  quote 
freely.  "The  event  was  held  by  a  prominent  club 
in  their  rooms.  It  was  announced  in  the  papers 
as  an  'Athletic  Show,'  and  it  began  with  a  'battle 
royal'  boxing  bout  among  five  negroes."  The 
description  that  follows  is  of  a  free  fight  with  not 
even  the  element  of  scientific  or  skilful  boxing  to 
commend  it.  "The  third  event  was  a  six  one- 
minute  round  boxing  contest  between  two  little 
boys,  aged  seven  and  nine  years."  These  boys 
carried  on  a  prize  fight  for  the  amusement  of 
several  hundred  business  men  and  sportsmen,  and 
were  rewarded  at  the  close  by  a  shower  of  nickles, 
dimes,  and  quarters. 

Highly  objectionable  entertainments  of  other 
kinds  are  promoted  by  some  of  these  clubs,  from 
the  tough  dances  of  the  ihformal  social  club  to  the 
equally  immoral,  but  more  highly  gilded,  affairs 
that  occasionally  take  place  under  auspices  from 
which  society  has  the  right  to  expect  better  things. 
Such  conditions,  when  discovered,  call  for  vigorous 
and  eft'ective  protest  on  the  part  of  the  church. 

2.  Commercial  amusements. — This  class  of  recrea- 
tional facihties  constitutes  a  large  and  often  very 
serious  factor  in  the  problem.  In  the  first  place 
such  amusements  are  conducted  for  financial  profit, 
and  this  fact  usually  makes  it  impossible  to  look  to 
them  for  any  serious  leadership  along  educational 
or  ethical  lines.     Though  we  fully  recognize  that 


40  Recreation  and  the  Church 

many  owners  desire  to  offer  only  that  which  is 
really  worth  while,  the  fact  remains  that  such 
owners  are  limited  by  the  popular  demand.  The 
theater  or  other  place  of  commercial  amusement 
is  in  business  to  sell  what  people  will  pay  for;  too 
many  are  not  particular  as  to  the  moral  quality  of 
their  offerings,  while  some  are  willing,  and  even 
eager,  to  pander  to  the  lowest  and  most  debased 
desires.  The  solution  of  this  phase  of  the  problem 
lies  along  the  two  lines  of  cultivating  the  taste  and 
demand  for  the  best  on  the  part  of  the  public  and 
restraining  the  worst  through  supervision  and 
regulation. 

Each  community  has  its  own  peculiar  problem 
in  this  respect,  but  certain  of  these  commercialized 
amusements  and  the  facts  that  should  be  known 
regarding  them  are  typical. 

a)  The  motion-picture  show:  The  large  place 
that  this  form  of  amusement  holds  in  the  recreation 
of  children  and  youth  has  already  been  indicated. 
The  fact  that  three-fourths  of  our  school  children 
attend  the  moving-picture  shows,  and  at  least  half 
of  that  number  as  often  as  once  a  week,  and  the 
additional  fact  that  statistics  from  several  cities 
show  the  average  weekly  attendance  to  be  equiva- 
lent to,  or  more  than,  the  entire  population  of  the 
city,  give  some  indication  as  to  the  magnitude  of 
the  problem.  Mr.  Frederic  C.  Howe,  chairman 
of  the  National  Board  of  Censorship,  in  an  article 


Studying  Needs  of  the  Community      41 

published  in  the  Outlook  in  June,  19 14,  estimates  the 
number  of  motion-picture  theaters  in  the  United 
States  at  from  sixteen  thousand  to  twenty  thou- 
sand and  the  average  daily  attendance  at  from 
seven  to  twelve  million.  He  states  that  about 
$150,000,000  is  invested  in  the  enterprise,  and  that 
the  American  people  spend  $300,000,000  yearly  on 
this  form  of  amusement.  These  figures  would  cer- 
tainly be  no  smaller  and  undoubtedly  much  larger 
if  brought  down  to  date.  No  one  will  question  the 
accuracy  of  his  statement  that  ''next  to  the  press 
and  the  school  the  movie  is  the  most  influential 
educational  and  recreational  agency  in  our  daily 
life."  He  gives  facts  to  show  that  the  saloon,  the 
theater,  the  public  library,  and,  we  may  add,  the 
church,  have  all  felt  its  competition. 

No  church  can  rightly  estimate  its  recreational 
problem  without  knowing  the  facts  about  "the 
movies"  in  its  community.  The  investigation 
conducted  in  Portland,  Oregon,  and  described  by 
President  William  T.  Foster,  of  Reed  College,  in 
the  Reed  College  Record  for  September,  19 14,  is  very 
suggestive  as  to  the  method  of  making  such  a  study 
and  the  information  to  be  secured. 

The  mayor  of  Portland  appointed  a  committee 
to  investigate  both  the  motion-picture  and  the 
vaudeville  shows.  This  committee  held  prelimi- 
nary meetings,  first  with  the  managers  of  vaude\dlle 
houses  and  then  with  those  of  the  motion-picture 


42  Recreation  and  the  Church 

shows.  Sixty  investigators  were  appointed,  repre- 
senting almost  every  social  and  educational  element 
in  the  city.  These  investigators  reported  on  fifty- 
one  motion-picture  houses,  several  different  assign- 
ments being  made  for  each  house  at  different  times 
so  as  to  insure  a  fair  representation  of  average 
conditions  from  the  point  of  view  of  different 
investigators. 

The  investigators  made  their  reports  upon  blanks 
calling  for  the  following  information: 

Blank  A 
I.  Name  of  theater 2.  Location 

3.  Date  of  visit p.m.  to p.m. 

4.  Date  of  visit 5.  Number  in  attendance.  ..... 

6.  Lighting 7.  Ventilation 

8.  General  cleanliness 

9.  Behavior  of  audience 

10.  Children  in  attendance  properly  accompanied. 

Number  1 2  and  under boys girls 

Number  13  to  15  inclusive.  .   boys girls 

Number  16  to  18  inclusive.  .   boys girls 

11.  Children  in  attendance  not  properly  accompanied. 

[Same  analysis  as  No.  10] 

12.  Notes  as  to  general  attitude  and  conduct  of  children .... 

13.  After  making  detailed  report,  please  state  if  objection- 
able parts  could  easily  be  ehminated  without  eliminating 
the  whole  film. 

14.  Please  prepare  a  report  of  150  or  more  words,  giving 
your  conclusions  as  to  the  educational  and  recreational 
value  of  this  performance  to  the  children  in  attendance. 
(Please  use  separate  sheets.  Please  be  specific.) 
Please  add  any  other  information  which  might  be  useful 
for  the  purposes  of  this  report. 

Investigator 


Studying  Needs  of  the  Community      43 

Blank  B 

detailed  report  on  moving-picture  shows 

15.  Describe  each  picture  as  follows:  (a)  Title  of  picture. 
(h)  Classify  as  follows:  comedy,  farce,  drama,  melo- 
drama, tragedy,  scenic,  scientific,  current  events, 
(r)  General  description:  Look  for  acts  of  heroism, 
chivalry,  and  kindness,  examples  of  true  love,  faith- 
fulness, scenes  of  wholesome  home  life  and  life  out  of 
doors,  also  for  acts  of  brutality  and  violence,  death 
scenes,  seduction,  cowardice,  immorality,  murder,  rob- 
bery, cheating,  (d)  Estimate  the  moral  value:  Good, 
bad,  or  without  moral  value.  Does  the  wrongdoer 
prosper  ?  Is  the  way  of  the  transgressor  easy  ?  Are 
rascals  held  up  for  admiration  ?  Are  virtues  made 
sources  of  mirth  ?  (e)  What  would  be  the  effect  of  the 
picture  on  sensitive  and  unsophisticated  children  ? 

With  the  co-operation  of  the  school  authorities 
this  investigation  v^as  carried  farther  by  asking  the 
school  children  to  fill  out  cards  on  which  the  follovv^- 
ing  questions  vi^ere  asked :  "  Do  you  attend  moving- 
picture  shows  ?  If  so,  how  often  ?  At  what  hour 
of  the  day  do  you  generally  attend  ?  What  kind 
of  moving  pictures  do  you  like  best  ?" 

Such  cards  were  filled  out  by  2,647  children  of 
the  Portland  schools.  The  results  are  in  harmony 
with  the  figures  given  above  as  to  the  percentage 
of  children  attending  and  the  frequency  with 
which  they  do  so. 

The  reports  of  the  investigators  as  to  the  char- 
acter of  the  pictures  shown,  while  giving  full 
credit  to  much  that  was  pleasing,  instructive,  and 
morally  helpful,  gave  only  too  clear  evidence  of  a 


44  Recreation  and  the  Church 

large  amount  that  was  coarse,  vulgar,  and  degrad- 
ing. Even  more  pernicious  than  the  pictures  that 
are  utterly  bad  are  those  more  insidious  repre- 
sentations of  gilded  vice  and  of  immoral  conduct 
that  had  thrown  about  it  the  glamor  of  pleasure 
or  success.  Such  an  investigation  in  almost  any 
city  or  town  will  reveal  much  that  should  cause 
serious  concern  in  view  of  the  great  popularity 
and  large  patronage  of  this  type  of  amusement. 
We  state  these  facts  with  full  recognition  of  the 
other  side  of  the  question  and  with  appreciation 
of  the  many  good  points  of  the  motion  picture. 

b)  Theaters:  The  problem  presented  by  the 
theater,  aside  from  the  motion-picture  house,  is 
much  the  same  in  kind  though  much  more  re- 
stricted. There  are  not  so  many  of  these  theaters, 
and  the  higher  prices  that  usually  prevail  also  tend 
to  restrict  the  attendance  especially  of  children. 
The  virtues  and  defects  of  the  theater,  however, 
are  greater  in  degree.  The  play  or  show  which 
combines  the  elements  of  the  living  actors,  speech, 
and  song,  if  good,  is  more  effective,  and,  if  bad,  is 
more  harmful,  than  the  pictured  representation. 
The  quality  of  such  entertainment  furnished  in  the 
community,  the  attendance,  proportion  of  children, 
and  similar  facts  should  be  studied  as  in  the  case 
of  the  motion  picture.  In  such  a  study,  moreover, 
care  should  be  taken  to  scrutinize  not  only  the 
cheap  vaudeville  or  burlesque  show;  it  is  only  too 


Studying  Needs  of  the  Community      45 

manifest  that  many  of  the  musical  comedies  given 
at  the  highest-priced  theaters,  and  many  features 
in  the  so-called  ''refined  vaudeville  houses,"  are 
quite  as  bad  from  the  viewpoint  of  immodesty, 
suggestiveness,  and  downright  immorality  as  the 


THE  DISCOVERY  OF  SHRIMP 

Scene  from  a  play  given  by  Troop  is,  B.S.  of  A.,  Rochester,  New  York, 
and  written  by  one  of  the  troop.  Dramatics  combine  enjoyment,  good  fellow- 
ship, and  development  of  powers  of  self-expression,  and  often  help  to  furnish 
funds  for  various  objects. 

average  burlesque  or  cheap  vaudeville.  Their 
demoralizing  effect  upon  public  taste  and  standards 
of  morality  are  even  more  insidious  because  of  their 
added  attractiveness.  About  the  best  that  can  be 
said  of  them  is  that  the  people  who  can  afford  to 
pay  their  prices  are  in  position  to  pick  and  choose 
the  better  type  of  amusement  if  they  will,  while  the 


46  Recreation  and  the  Church 

cheap  house  that  is  bad  is  exploiting  the  recrea- 
tional necessities  of  those  who  can  afford  nothing 
better. 

In  studying  this  phase  of  the  problem,  atten- 
tion should  be  paid,  not  only  to  those  influences 
that  offend  the  best  sense  of  modesty  and  sexual 
morality,  but  also  to  those  lurid  presentations  of 
violence  and  crime  that  are  such  prolific  sources  of 
criminal  impulse  and  deeds. 

c)  Dance  halls:  Dancing  holds  a  place  in  the 
social  life  of  young  people  that  cannot  be  ignored. 
While  in  point  of  numbers  it  is  far  behind  the 
"movie"  and  the  theater,  its  importance  as  a  fac- 
tor in  the  recreational  problem  is  hardly  less.  It 
appeals  strongly  to  the  desire  to  express  in  rhythmi- 
cal motion  the  abundant  spirit  and  vitality  of 
youth,  and  also  gratifies  the  craving  for  society  and 
companionship.  For  many  young  people  the  dance 
is  practically  the  only  opportunity  available  for 
social  fellowship  in  attractive  form. 

In  studying  the  conditions  under  which  this  form 
of  amusement  is  practiced,  one  needs  to  take  into 
account  the  conditions  in  homes  and  private  organi- 
zations, which  are  often  the  most  potent  factors 
in  setting  the  standards  elsewhere.  But  our  present 
topic  is  the  commercial  dance  hall. 

Reports  from  various  cities  show  a  wide  range 
of  conditions.  In  most  places  the  dance  halls  are 
under  a  fair  degree  of  supervision.     Cities  are  not 


Studying  Needs  of  the  Community      47 

wanting  in  which  the  conditions  in  the  average 
dance  hall  are  as  good  as  and  often  better  than  in 
the  private  homes  and  clubs.  Almost  every  city 
has  some  halls,  on  the  other  hand,  where  moral 
conditions  are  bad  and  certain  to  work  harm. 

It  is  well  first  of  all  to  consult  the  existing  ordi- 
nances or  regulations  governing  such  places  in  the 
community.  This  will  enable  the  investigator  to 
know  how  far  the  present  law  is  being  enforced  and 
where  it  may  need  improvement.  Are  the  dance 
halls  licensed  or  run  under  permit  ?  What  kind  of 
supervision  is  required:  police,  matrons,  or  chap- 
erons? What  limitations  as  to  age  are  imposed, 
or  as  to  the  sale  of  liquor,  or  the  giving  of  pass-out 
checks  ?  What  provisions  are  required  for  the  pro- 
tection of  life,  health,  and-  morals  in  such  matters 
as  fire  escapes,  ventilation,  cleanliness,  late  hours, 
toilet  facilities,  and  the  like  ? 

With  this  information  the  next  step  is  to  investi- 
gate the  dance  halls  themselves,  taking  care  so  to 
conduct  the  study  as  to  insure  average  results  as 
well  as  extremes,  and  to  get  the  judgment  of  vari- 
ous persons  on  the  same  set  of  conditions.  It 
should  be  carefully  noted  that  in  such  investigation, 
as  well  as  that  of  certain  t>^es  of  theaters,  only 
persons  of  mature  judgment  and  established  char- 
acter should  be  engaged.  It  is  an  unwise  and  even 
dangerous  thing  to  send  young,  untried,  and  highly 
^impressionable  young  people  on  such  work. 


48  Recreation  and  the  Church 

Many  of  the  facts  to  be  observed  have  been  sug- 
gested in  connection  with  the  study  of  ordinances. 
The  important  ones  may  be  briefly  noted.  What 
is  the  general  character  of  the  place  ?  Is  it  con- 
nected with  a  saloon,  or  is  liquor  sold  on  the  prem- 
ises ?  If  not,  are  pass-out  checks  given,  and  are 
these  used  for  the  purpose  of  visiting  near-by 
saloons,  as  is  usually  the  case  ?  What  is  the  char- 
acter of  the  attendance  as  to  age  ?  How  many 
under  fifteen  ?  How  many  from  fifteen  to  twenty- 
five  ?  Do  girls  and  young  women  come  alone,  and 
do  they  leave  alone  ?  Are  there  parents  or  chap- 
erons present  ?  Is  there  police  supervision  and,  if 
so,  of  what  character  ?  Is  there  evidence  of  dan- 
cing without  introduction  or  acquaintance  ?  Are 
there  any  evidences  of  drinking  or  intoxication  ? 
What  is  the  conduct  of  the  dancers  as  to  boister- 
ousness,  close  holding,  or  immodest  attitudes  or 
actions  ?  Note  the  physical  conditions  as  to  ven- 
tilation, toilet  facilities,  etc.  The  hours  should  also 
be  observed.  A  subtle  influence  that  must  not  be 
overlooked  is  exercised  by  long  hours  of  dancing  in 
close,  overheated  atmosphere.  This  means  fatigue, 
and  fatigue  means  weakened  powers  of  self-control. 

d)  Saloons,  billiard-  and  pool-rooms,  bowling 
alleys :  For  the  purpose  of  this  chapter  this  class  of 
commercial  amusement  places  may  be  taken  to- 
gether, as  they  are  often  combined.  They  should 
be  studied  in  much  the  same  way  as  the  foregoing. 


Studying  Needs  of  the  Community      49 

Their  number,  character,  the  number  and  age  of 
frequenters,  and  the  t)q)c  of  amusement  furnished 
should  be  noted.  Is  gambling  in  any  form  allowed  ? 
What  methods  are  used  to  attract  trade  ?  What 
form  of  supervision  is  required  by  the  city  ordi- 
nances ?  Is  the  law  governing  these  places  being 
enforced  ?  If  not,  why  ?  Is  it  because  of  neglect, 
indifference,  political  corruption,  or  lack  of  a  suffi- 
cient number  of  intelligent  and  capable  officers  ? 
Such  information  as  this  and  other  points  that  may 
suggest  themselves  in  various  communities  will  give 
the  basis  for  an  intelligent  judgment  on  the  prob- 
lem involved,  and  will  suggest  ways  and  means  of 
solving  it. 

e)  Amusement  parks  and  excursion  steamers: 
Almost  all  cities  and  many  smaller  places  have  their 
amusement  parks  conducted  as  commercial  enter- 
prises, in  which  a  great  variety  of  recreation  is 
offered  to  the  public.  Much  of  it  is  good,  especially 
the  open-air  concerts,  which  are  often  of  high  order. 
Unfortunately  there  is  also  too  much  that  is  ques- 
tionable, and  some  that  is  positively  bad.  Many 
of  the  side  shows  are  of  a  type  that  would  be  con- 
■  demned  if  attempted  by  the  regular  theaters  of  the 
same  community.  In  this  connection  one  often 
meets  a  type  of  immorahty  that  calls  for  special 
mention.  A  committee  went  to  the  manager  of  a 
certain  exposition  park  under  city  control  to  protest 
against  the  character  of  some  side  shows  to  which 


50  Recreation  and  the  Church 

concessions  had  been  given.  After  the  committee 
had  described  in  detail  certain  things  that  had  been 
said  and  done  by  the  "barkers"  and  actresses  in 
front  of  these  shows,  the  defense  was  offered:  "Oh, 
well,  the  show  itself  is  not  as  bad  as  that  might  lead 
one  to  suppose."  In  other  words,  the  argument 
was  that  the  promoters  of  the  show  were  deceiving 
the  public  by  leading  them  to  expect  something 
particularly  risque,  but  after  taking  their  money 
on  these  false  pretenses  they  gave  them  in  return 
a  show  that  was  merely  stupid  and  coarse,  but  "not 
actually  bad."  I  saw  the  same  thing  illustrated 
in  an  individual  case  in  a  penny  arcade  in  another 
city.  A  boy  was  passing  down  before  the  row  of 
picture  machines.  He  stopped  at  one  which  was 
decorated  with  a  particularly  suggestive  poster  and 
dropped  in  his  coin.  After  viewing  the  picture 
he  turned  away  with  such  an  expression  of  disgust 
on  his  face  that  I  at  first  thought  it  had  been  too 
bad  even  for  him.     I  asked  him  about  it  and,  with 

another  scowl,  he  remarked:   "It's  a fake." 

It  may  be  all  well  enough  to  take  refuge  in  the 
cheap  excuse  that  people  should  not  be  looking  for 
immoral  shows  or  pictures,  but  that  does  not  alter 
the  fact  that  such  methods  of  advertising  are  a 
direct  education  in  methods  of  dishonesty  and  false- 
hood. This  same  kind  of  dishonesty  is  constantly 
employed  in  the  advertising  posters  displayed 
before  moving-picture  houses. 


Studying  Needs  of  the  Community      51 

Cities  which  are  situated  upon  large  bodies  of 
water  have  also  the  excursion  steamer  to  reckon 
with  as  a  factor  in  the  recreational  problem.  The 
published  reports  of  the  Chicago  Vice  Commission 
and  other  similar  investigations  give  only  too  vigor- 
ous testimony  of  the  evils  which  flourish  on  some 
of  these  boats,  and  which  are  made  the  more  diffi- 
cult to  deal  with  on  account  of  the  mixed  juris- 
diction under  which  they  are  conducted. 

3.  Public  recreation. — Under  this  head  we  may 
class  the  public  parks,  playgrounds,  libraries, 
schools,  and  the  social  centers  or  playgrounds 
connected  with  the  latter.  Here  we  are  fortu- 
nately relieved  from  the  necessity  of  investigating 
glaring  evils  or  gross  immoralities,  except  possibly 
in  cases  of  rank  political  corruption  or  abuse.  The 
questions  to  be  determined  concern  the  degree  of 
merit  in  equipment  and  supervision,  the  adequacy 
or  inadequacy  of  recreational  provision  in  propor- 
tion to  the  need,  and  the  possibilities  of  improve- 
ment in  these  respects. 

The  public  library  is  not  only  a  great  educational 
factor,  but  an  important  element  in  the  recreational 
life  of  the  community.  Reading  is  one  of  the 
favorite  diversions  of  children  at  certain  ages,  and 
the  children's  department  of  the  public  library  with 
the  story-hours  conducted  in  so  many  of  them  is 
doing  excellent  service  in  meeting  this  demand. 
The   direct   moral   lessons   taught   through   good 


52  Recreation  and  the  Church 

stories  and  the  formation  of  good  taste  in  reading 
are  valuable  assets  in  character  development. 
Museums  of  natural  history  and  lectures  and  enter- 
tainments in  school  centers  are  also  of  high  value 
and  are  a  good  field  for  volunteer  service.  The 
facts  regarding  the  supply  of  such  facilities  are 
easily  obtained,  and  should  be  included  in  the  study 
of  the  problem. 

The  investigation  of  playground  facilities,  in 
which  we  may  include  the  parks,  neighborhood  and 
school  playgrounds,  should  note  the  same  facts 
regarding  the  distribution  of  population  as  to  num- 
bers and  age  as  have  been  mentioned  in  §  2,  pp.  31, 
32  of  this  chapter.  The  recreation  surveys  of  the 
Russell  Sage  Foundation  and  of  the  Playground 
and  Recreation  Association  of  America  give  ample 
suggestions  regarding  the  method  of  investigation. 
Some  of  the  facts  to  be  noted  may  be  mentioned 
here  in  detail. 

a)  The  total  acreage  of  parks  and  playgrounds 
in  proportion  to  the  population:  The  survey  of 
Springfield,  Illinois,  made  in  1914,  gives  figures 
from  twelve  cities,  including  its  own,  showing  a 
range  of  from  60  persons  to  the  acre  in  Washington, 
D.C.,  to  493  in  Chicago.  The  average  is  254  to  the 
acre.  Even  allowing  for  the  fact  that  not  everyone 
in  a  given  community  would  ever  wish  to  occupy 
the  same  space  at  the  same  time,  this  allowance  is 
manifestly  meager. 


Studying  Needs  of  the  Community      53 

b)  The  area  of  playgrounds  with  reference  to 
the  child  population,  bearing  in  mind  the  fact  that 
625  square  feet  is  the  minimum  area  in  which  four 
or  five  children  can  readily  play  together. 

c)  The  location  of  parks  and  playgrounds  with 
reference  to  centers  of  population :  Studies  in  many 
cities  show  that  the  sphere  of  influence  of  play- 
grounds for  small  children  is  from  one-fourth  to 
one-third  of  a  mile,  with  the  weight  of  opinion  tend- 
ing toward  the  shorter  distance.  For  the  parks 
and  athletic  fields,  which  cater  to  the  boys  and 
young  people,  one-half  to  three-fourths  of  a  mile 
is  the  effective  radius.  Chicago  has  adopted  the 
one-half-mile  limit  as  the  basis  for  its  future  park 
system.  Testimony  shows  that  children  and  young 
people  living  beyond  these  limits  will  seek  easier 
ways  of  amusing  themselves  rather  than  go  the 
longer  distance;  and  this  usually  means  the  street. 

d)  Surface  conditions  of  playgrounds:  Many 
cities  have  free  space  which  might  be  available,  but 
which  is  unusable  because  it  is  not  properly  graded 
or  because  of  the  surface.  This  is  especially  true 
of  many  school  grounds  which  range  from  the  one 
extreme  of  beautiful  lawns,  flower-beds,  and  shrub- 
bery— undoubtedly  an  aesthetic  asset,  which  should 
not,  however,  be  cultivated  to  the  exclusion  of  the 
greater  value  of  play  space — to  the  other  extreme 
of  brick  pavements  or  cinder-strewn  yards  which 
are  neither  sightly  nor  available  for  play. 


54  Recreation  and  the  Church 

e)  Equipment:  This  will  include  such  items  as 
suitable  and  adequate  provision  for  games  and 
athletic  sports,  such  as  baseball,  football,  volley- 
ball, basket-ball,  and  track-meets;  also  such  play- 
ground apparatus  as  swings,  teeter-boards,  slides, 
sand  piles,  and  the  like;  also  such  facilities  as 
wading  pools  for  little  children,  swimming  pools 
for  older  ones,  shelters  and  comfort  stations,  and 
the  like.  In  estimating  the  adequacy  of  such  pro- 
visions reference  must  be  had  to  the  proportion  of 
children  of  varying  ages  which  the  particular  play- 
ground has  to  serve.  Instances  are  not  wanting 
of  playgrounds  finely  equipped  to  meet  the  needs 
of  a  certain  age,  but  situated  in  a  neighborhood 
where  the  demand  is  for  something  quite  different. 

Under  the  head  of  equipment  also  arises  the 
question  of  field-houses  and  provision  for  indoor 
recreation  during  the  winter  or  in  inclement 
weather. 

/)  Supervision:  Nothing  is  more  thoroughly 
demonstrated  in  the  history  of  playground  adminis- 
tration than  the  fact  that  adequate  supervision  is 
necessary  if  the  facilities  provided  are  to  serve  their 
full  purpose.  We  must  not  be  misled,  by  the  fact 
that  play  is  instinctive,  into  thinking  that  children 
instinctively  know  how  to  play  freely  and  fully. 
Such  a  conclusion  is  as  false  as  to  think  that  be- 
cause feeding  is  instinctive  children  may  be  left  to 
choose  their  own  diet.     There  are  those  who  hold 


Studying  Needs  of  the  Community       55 

that  this  is  true,  but  experience  does  not  bear 
out  the  theory.  The  studies  of  the  games  that 
children  play  when  left  to  themselves  bear  testi- 
mony to  the  poverty  of  their  repertoire. 

Another  fact  which  is  revealed  by  many  of  the 
surveys  is  that  children  prefer  the  playgrounds  in 
which  there  are  proper  supervision  and  leadership. 


1 

*f  /.i-.-.'^fe,-' 

tfl 

S^^^^js^t  ' 

r 

f^-' 

J 

'^ifl^RKMsfl^l 

u.' 

V 

1 

EVERYBODY  COMES 

Nearly  eight  hundred  automobiles  were  parked  in  the  field  at  the 
Somonauk  United  Presbyterian  Church  Fourth  of  July  celebration.  The 
event  was  of  interest  to  the  entire  community  for  miles  around. 

In  cities  having  some  playgrounds  under  supervi- 
sion and  others  without,  pains  have  been  taken  to 
discover  the  relation  of  this  fact  to  the  voluntary 
attendance  of  children.  It  has  been  found  that 
children  will  come  after  school  hours  and  of  their 
own  accord  to  those  playgrounds  where  adequate 
leadership  is  provided  much  more  freely  than  to 
those  where  no  such  provision  is  made. 


56  Recreation  and  the  Church 

The  character  of  this  supervision  is  another 
important  item.  Is  it  exercised  merely  in  the 
spirit  of  the  caretaker,  to  prevent  damage  or  de- 
struction of  property,,  or  is  it  real  leadership, 
exercised  from  the  educational  viewpoint  and  with 
the  object  of  interesting  the  children  in  the  best 
games  ?  Are  the  playground  directors  trained  for 
their  task  and  have  they  a  sympathetic  apprecia- 
tion of  the  needs  of  the  children  ? 

It  should  be  noted,  furthermore,  whether  the 
leadership  of  the  playgrounds  is  comprehensively 
intelligent.  It  is  not  enough  merely  to  take  proper 
care  of  the  children  who  are  actually  coming  to  the 
ground,  but  those  in  charge  should  know  the  com- 
munity and  its  needs,  and  should  so  plan  their 
schedule  of  activities  as  to  make  them,attractive  to 
all  ages  and  to  all  the  various  elements  in  the 
neighborhood.  The  playground  should  not  be  a 
merely  passive  opportunity  for  those  who  wish  to 
come,  but  an  active  and  aggressive  force  making 
for  the  best  welfare  of  all. 

Such  an  inquiry  will  discover  various  defects  and 
lead  to  the  further  effort  to  ascertain  their  cause. 
And  this  will  often  be  found  in  the  general  ad- 
ministration of  the  public  recreational  facilities. 
Defects  here  are  fundamental  and  give  rise  to 
wide-spread  shortcomings.  In  some  cities  we  find 
the  lack  to  be  that  of  any  central  authority.  The 
supervision  of  recreational  facilities  may  be  divided 


Studying  Needs  of  the  Community      57 

between  park  boards,  school  authorities,  and  both 
public  and  private  playground  boards.  This 
usually  results  in  scattering  efforts,  duplication, 
or  even  conflicting  standards  and  methods,  as 
illustrated  by  the  former  conditions  in  Rochester 
described  at  the  beginning  of  this  chapter.  The 
remedy  lies  in  the  direction  taken  by  that  city,  the 
bringing  together  of  all  the  public  recreational 
interests  into  one  board  or  commission,  with  a 
competent  director  in  charge.  Only  on  such  a 
basis  can  there  be  any  well-considered  and  compre- 
hensive plan  for  meeting  the  recreational  need  of 
the  community  as  a  whole. 

Another  defect  is  often  found  in  the  attempt  to 
do  the  work  too  cheaply,  using  untrained  and 
inexperienced  leaders,  and  paying  them  too  little 
to  make  it  possible  for  them  really  to  acquaint 
themselves  with  the  needs  of  the  neighborhoods  in 
which  they  work. 

The  church  will  often  find  one  of  its  most  fruit- 
ful fields  of  service  in  the  task  of  educating  public 
opinion  to  the  point  at  which  it  will  duly  appreciate 
the  value  of  recreational  work  for  its  children,  and 
not  only  justify  but  demand  the  expenditure  of 
adequate  funds  for  public  playgrounds  and  for  their 
proper  equipment  and  supervision. 

What  has  been  said  thus  far  in  this  chapter  has 
special  reference  to  the  city  or  town  church.  But 
the  recreational  problem  is  no  less  important,  and 


58  Recreation  and  the  Church 

the  need  for  studying  it  no  less  pressing  in  the  rural 
community.  The  country  district  is  free  from  the 
problems  arising  from  congested  population  and 
the  lack  of  free  space.  Its  difficulties  are  found 
rather  in  the  lonesomeness  and  barrenness  of  social 
life,  and  the  lack  of  suitable  opportunities  for  good 
entertainment,  and  especially  the  lack  of  leader- 
ship in  promoting  wholesome  recreation.  The 
problem  is  also  likely  to  be  more  acute  with  the 
older  children  and  young  people  than  with  the  little 
ones.  The  child  who  lives  much  out  of  doors  and 
with  the  many  opportunities  that  nature  affords 
in  the  country  readily  finds  a  wide  range  of  whole- 
some and  attractive  occupation.  But  when  the 
craving  for  social  fellowship  begins  to  be  a  vital 
factor  in  the  recreational  hfe,  the  trouble  begins. 
In  these  days  of  the  trolley  and  the  automobile  the 
neighboring  town  or  city  is  more  accessible,  and  the 
young  people  seek  the  amusement  they  desire  away 
from  home  and  often  amid  conditions  which  lack 
wholesome  restraint.  The  problem  of  the  rural 
community,  then,  becomes  that  of  enriching  its 
own  social  and  recreational  life  so  as  to  les.sen 
the  power  of  the  dangerous  attractions  just  re- 
ferred to. 

The  opportunity  and  responsibility  of  the 
churches  are  the  greater  because  of  the  fact  that 
they  have  the  field  much  more  to  themselves. 
In  many  communities  the  churches  and  the  schools 


Studying  Needs  of  the  Community      59 

are  practically  the  only  agencies  to  which  the 
people  can  look  for  social  life  and  recreation.  But 
here  again  we  find  another  difficulty  in  that  so 
many  rural  communities  are  over-churched,  and 
each  separate  organization  is  therefore  too  weak 


INDOOR  BASEBALL 

The  Boys'  Club  is  having  a  game  which  some  of  the  members  of  the 
Men's  Club  have  come  in  to  watch.  The  church  gymnasium  provides  enter- 
tainment for  both  players  and  spectators. 

financially  to  do  a  very  adequate  piece  of  work. 
Co-operation  is  therefore  the  more  essential. 

A  comparison  of  rural  surveys  made  by  church 
commissions  in  various  parts  of  the  country  indi- 
cates that  the  following  may  be  taken  as  a  fair 
picture  of  rural  social  and  recreational  conditions. 


6o  Recreation  and  the  Church 

The  streets,  stores,  depots,  and  public  buildings 
of  the  towns  and  villages  are  the  chief  meeting- 
places  where  people  gather  for  informal  conversa- 
tion or  loafing.  Courting  is  mostly  done  on  buggy 
rides  or  at  home  (under  difficulties) .  Opportunity 
for  larger  gatherings  is  found  in  the  picnics,  family 
and  community  reunions,  and  home-comings.  The 
agencies  which  promote  social  fellowship  and 
recreation  are  the  fraternal  organizations,  in  many 
places  apparently  weakening;  the  granges,  seem- 
ingly a  growing  influence;  the  schools,  which  are 
in  many  localities  doing  excellent  work;  and  the 
churches.  In  no  case  was  there  evidence  that  these 
organizations  were  fully  meeting  the  needs  of  the 
community.  The  forms  of  recreational  life  men- 
tioned include  baseball,  football,  and  other  athletic 
sports,  with  evident  need  of  leadership  and  organi- 
zation; dances,  poolrooms,  and  picture  shows, 
usually  in  the  village  or  town;  .lectures  and  enter- 
tainments and  home-talent  dramatics  held  in 
schools,  churches,  or  grange  halls;  Chautauquas, 
fairs,  and  traveling  circuses;  and  church  or  church 
society  picnics  and  socials,  the  larger  portion  of  the 
latter  being  held  for  the  purpose  of  raising  money. 
The  attitude  of  the  churches  in  many  of  these 
communities  is  too  largely  that  of  indiscriminate 
condemnation  of  various  forms  of  amusement, 
with  little  or  no  attempt  to  provide  anything 
constructive.     The  following  quotations  from  one 


Studying  Needs  of  the  Community      6i 

of  these  surveys  fairly  presents  this  phase  of  the 
difficulty: 

Excepting  the  picnics,  which  are  always  free,  46  per  cent 
of  the  social  life  is  furnished  for  pay.  The  value  of  the  pay 
social  is  difficult  to  judge.  The  main  objection  to  it  is  that 
the  motive  is  apt  to  be  selfish.  The  church  in  giving  such  a 
social  is  likely  to  think  not  so  much  of  the  happiness  it  is 
bringing  to  those  who  attend  as  of  the  financial  gain  that 
is  to  result.  The  people,  too,  are  giving  their  money,  not 
as  a  free-will  off'ering  for  the  extension  of  the  Kingdom,  but 
as  the  price  of  a  material  return.  On  the  other  hand,  many 
people,  especially  "outsiders,"  prefer  to  attend  socials  if 

they  can  pay  for  their  entertainment The  solution 

of  this  problem  may  be  a  wise  combination  of  the  two  kinds. 
Socials  for  profit  have  certain  abuses,  but  an  occasional  social 
where  people  can  pay  for  the  expense  of  their  entertainment 
may  interfere  less  with  their  self-respect  than  free  socials. 
But  whichever  kind  predominates,  its  aim  should  be  to 
minister  unselfishly  to  the  social  needs  of  all  within  its 

reach Eight  per  cent  of  the  churches  were  found  to 

be  strenuously  opposed  to  social  activities  on  the  part  of  the 
church,  both  in  theory  and  practice.  Some  of  the  ministers 
are  afraid  of  getting  the  "world"  into  the  church.  By  such 
exclusion,  however,  they  generally  seem  to  keep  out  every- 
body, for  only  one  of  these  churches  is  growing.  The  rest 
are  stationary.  Opposition  to  social  life  seems  to  be  due 
principally  to  two  misconceptions.  In  the  first  place,  to 
many  people  the  word  "social"  means  a  money-making 
scheme,  and  they  think  that  the  church  ought  not  to  resort 
to  such  means  to  make  money.  As  one  church  member 
expressed  it:  "The  devil  can't  pay  our  expenses.  If  he 
does,  he  wants  an  interest  in  the  business."  What  is  needed 
here  is  a  broader  idea  of  the  unselfish  purpose  of  social 
gatherings.    The    other    misconception    is   the    supposed 


62  Recreation  and  the  Church 

opposition  between  social  life  and  spiritual  life.  One  of 
the  ministers  made  the  statement  that  social  life  would  not 
save  anyone.  "What  the  churches  need  is  not  social  life 
but  more  spiritual  life"  is  a  common  expression.  The  two 
are  thus  divorced  from  each  other  instead  of  identified. 
Here  we  need  a  broader  conception  of  spiritual  life.  Social 
life  ought  to  be  spiritual  and  true  spiritual  life  is  social. 
Everything  that  brings  men  together  in  helpful  com- 
panionship makes  for  the  extension  of  the  Kingdom  of  God. 

The  rural  church  has  the  field  open  before  it. 
The  greatest  lack  is  that  of  vision  and  intelligent 
appreciation  of  its  opportunity. 

The  topic  of  "Studying  the  Recreational  Needs 
of  the  Community"  has  been  thus  fully  treated 
because  it  is  fundamental  to  any  clear  knowledge  of 
the  church's  problem  and  because  it  is  so  highly 
suggestive.  Not  only  the  things  that  need  to  be 
done,  but  the  methods  to  be  pursued  are  often 
revealed  in  such  a  study  of  the  needs.  Here,  as 
always,  "knowledge  is  power." 


CHAPTER  III 

MEETING  THE   RECREATIONAL  NEEDS  OF 
THE  COMMUNITY 

Such  a  study  of  the  field  as  suggested  in  the  fore- 
going chapter  will  give  some  idea  of  the  needs  to  be 
met  and  form  the  basis  of  a  working  policy.  The 
necessity  for  such  a  basis  cannot  be  too  strongly 
emphasized,  for,  as  already  stated,  it  is  the  need 
of  the  particular  community  in  question  that  is  to 
be  met,  not  that  of  some  other.  A  most  fruitful 
source  of  error  and  ultimate  failure  is  the  habit  of 
indiscriminate  imitation — the  adoption  of  a  policy 
or  of  some  certain  activity  because  some  other 
church  has  done  the  same  thing  with  good  results. 
Every  church  may  learn  from  the  study  of  what 
others  are  doing,  provided  the  study  does  not  stop 
with  the  mere  survey  of  activities,  but  goes  behind 
these  to  the  conditions  and  needs  which  they  are 
planned  to  meet.  The  degree  to  which  these 
needs  are  being  met  is  the  true  measure  of  value 
by  which  to  estimate  the  activities  themselves.  If 
these  conditions  are  the  same  as  those  in  the  com- 
munity for  which  the  study  is  being  made,  the 
activities  may  be  imitated  with  safety;  if  not,  the 
latter  should  be  modified  to  meet  existing  condi- 
tions. 

63 


64  Recreation  and  the  Church 

It  is  important  to  repeat  this  caution  before 
attempting  to  outline  any  sort  of  program  for 
general  adoption.  To  prescribe  such  a  program 
in  detail  with  the  idea  of  securing  its  wholesale 
adoption  would  be  foolish  and  hurtful.  We  must 
limit  ourselves,  therefore,  to  general  principles  and 
to  examples  that  are  typical  of  general  conditions. 

§  I.     the  education  of  the  church  membership 

The  lessons  of  a  community  survey  will  be  ap- 
parent at  first  only  to  those  who  have  participated 
in  making  it,  and  it  is  important  that  they  should 
be  made  clear  to  a  larger  proportion  of  the  church 
membership  upon  whose  hearty  support  and  co- 
operation success  depends.  There  will  be  a  con- 
siderable number  of  adults  in  every  church  who 
need  education  with  reference  to  the  importance 
of  recreation  in  the  life  of  children  and  youth  and 
its  relation  to  the  development  of  strong  Christian 
character.  This  topic  has  already  been  treated 
in  the  first  chapter.  The  survey  of  conditions 
actually  existing  in  the  community  will  give  prac- 
tical illustrations  of  needs,  of  the  harmful  results 
of  neglect,  and,  if  anything  has  been  well  done  to 
meet  the  needs,  of  the  good  results  to  be  enjoyed. 
Such  facts  will  give  ample  material  that  should  be 
used  in  the  pulpit  and  in  study  groups. 

In  this  educational  campaign  greater  interest 
will  be  aroused  and  more  effectiveness  secured  by 


Meeting  Needs  of  the  Community       65 

the  liberal  use  of  charts,  diagrams,  and  photo- 
graphs. The  proportion  of  children  in  a  commu- 
nity who  have  no  place  in  which  to  play  but  the 
street  will  be  more  strikingly  presented  by  a  dia- 
gram than  by  simply  a  statement  of  the  relative 
figures.  The  comparative  advantages  of  the  play- 
ground and  the  alley  as  places  in  which  children 
may  spend  their  leisure  time  can  better  be  told  by 
photographs  or  lantern  slides  than  by  hours  of 
argument.  The  printed  reports  of  the  community 
study  of  the  Clinton  Avenue  Congregational 
Church  of  Brooklyn  and  of  many  of  the  recrea- 
tional surveys  that  have  been  referred  to  are 
illustrative  of  this  graphic  method  of  presentation. 

Another  point  that  will  inevitably  arise  in  any 
thorough  discussion  of  recreation  is  that  of  the 
so-called  questionable  amusements:  dancing,  card 
playing,  and  the  theater.  Space  forbids  a  complete 
treatment  of  this  topic  here.  It  has  been  admir- 
ably handled  by  Dr.  Henry  A.  Atkinson  in  the 
second  and  fifth  chapters  of  his  book,  The  Church 
and  the  People's  Play.  Certain  things,  however, 
may  be  stated  at  once. 

That  there  have  been  evils  connected  with  these 
forms  of  amusement  is  unquestionably  true.  We 
do  not  always  stop  to  consider  just  how  true  the 
statement  is  in  this  form.  The  evils  are  not  in- 
herent in  the  amusements  themselves,  but  in  the 
associations  with  which  they  have  been  connected. 


66  Recreation  and  the  Church 

There  are  too  many  earnest,  useful,  Christian  men 
and  women  who  share  in  these  forms  of  recreation 
to  allow  anyone  successfully  to  combat  this  state- 
ment. Card  playing  and  the  dance  may  be  inno- 
cent and  pleasurable  diversions,  and  the  theater 
may  also  be  a  source  of  genuine  education  and 
inspiration.  To  indulge  in  any  of  these  amuse- 
ments to  the  accompaniment  of  drinking  or  gam- 
bling, or  to  devote  to  them  time  that  should  be  given 
to  work,  study,  or  sleep,  is  hurtful  and  wrong;  and 
such  overindulgence  is  just  as  unrighteous  in  any 
other  form  of  amusement.  The  wise,  proper,  and 
discriminating  use  of  all  amusements  is  the  prin- 
ciple which  sorely  needs  inculcating,  rather  than 
the  indiscriminate  condemnation  of  any  certain 
class. 

Even  if  we  grant  the  full  force  of  what  is  said 
about  the  evil  associations  that  have  surrounded 
this  class  of  amusements,  this  does  not  prove  that 
such  associations  are  necessary,  and  it  leaves  still 
to  be  met  the  question  as  to  who  is  responsible  for 
allowing  them  to  hold  the  monopoly.  For  long 
years  we  have  connected  a  certain  class  of  tene- 
ments with  insanitary  living  conditions,  immoral- 
ity, and  crime.  We  have  not  approved  of  these 
conditions,  and  we  have  distributed  our  condemna- 
tion rather  impartially  between  the  people  who 
thus  live  and  the  landlords  who  thus  enrich  them- 
selves.    But  of  late  years  we  have  begun  to  see  it 


Meeting  Needs  of  the  Community       67 

as  a  part  of  Christian  duty  to  redeem  these  phigue 
spots  and  to  make  such  conditions  impossible. 
May  not  the  same  principle  hold  equally  good  in 
the  matter  of  amusements  ?  We  have  heard  the 
tenement  problem  dismissed  with  such  statements 
as  these:  ''People  must  live,  and  some  of  them  will 
live  like  pigs";  "What  is  the  use  of  providing  bath 
tubs  ?  The  people  will  continue  to  keep  vegetables 
and  coal  in  them."  That  such  obstacles  in  the 
path  of  reform  exist  every  practical  worker  for 
better  housing  conditions  knows  full  well.  But  we 
have  progressed  far  enough  to  know  that  the  case 
is  not  hopeless  and  that  people  who  have  a  fair 
chance  do  not  eventually  prefer  to  live  like  beasts. 
Those  who  have  earnestly  attacked  the  problem 
of  recreation  know  just  as  well  that  young  people 
as  a  whole  prefer  to  be  clean  and  decent  and  self- 
respecting  in  their  amusements  and  that  one  great 
reason  why  they  have  not  had  a  better  chance  to 
be  so  is  that  we  have  handed  over  so  large  a  part 
of  these  amusements  to  commercial  interests  willing 
to  exploit  them  for  their  own  advantage. 

An  excellent  illustration  of  this  is  seen  in  the 
history  of  the  theater.  In  almost  any  of  the  argu- 
ments against  the  theater,  written  twenty-five 
years  or  so  ago,  one  finds  the  statement  that  clean 
and  respectable  plays  cannot  be  made  profitable, 
therefore  stage  managers  will  not  present  them. 
The  same  argument  is  occasionally  used  today  as 


68  Recreation  and  the  Church 

an  excuse  by  managers  who  prefer  to  present  the 
unwholesome  type.  Grant  that  the  argument  was 
true  twenty-five  years  ago ;  who  was  to  blame  ? 
Was  it  alone  the  people  who  patronized  the  immoral 
play,  or  the  manager  who  presented  it,  or  may  not 
some  share  be  justly  borne  by  those  who,  through 
indiscriminate  condemnation  of  the  theater  as  a 
whole  and  through  their  refusal  to  support  the 
better  type  of  plays,  helped  to  make  the  statement 
true  ?  But  what  is  the  condition  of  affairs  today  ? 
By  degrees  we  have  come  to  see  that  the  stage  may 
not  be  all  bad,  and  Christian  people  and  cultivated 
men  and  women  are  lending  their  support  to  its 
elevation.  As  a  result  the  person  who  says  that 
the  good  play  cannot  be  made  financially  successful 
is  either  indulging  in  a  deliberate  falsehood  or  is 
ignorant  of  the  facts.  The  truth  is  that  the  plays 
which  meet  with  the  largest  and  most  enduring 
success  are  those  that  have  genuine  merit,  and 
many  of  them  are  of  very  high  educational  and 
moral  value.  What  would  be  the  further  result 
if  all  those  who  have  the  culture  essential  to  good 
taste  and  the  character  requisite  to  courageous 
action  were  actively  to  demand  and  support  the 
best  and  resolutely  refuse  to  tolerate  the  shady 
and  suggestive  performance  ? 

Still  another  aspect  of  this  question  calls  for 
careful  consideration.  It  is  highly  important  that 
the  attitude  of  the  church  upon  any  vital  subject 


Meeting  Needs  of  the  Community       69 

should  be  logical  and  consistent.  No  one  who 
knows  young  people  can  fail  to  realize  how  quickly 
they  pick  flaws  in  an  inconsistent  position,  and 
how  seriously  such  a  defect  undermines  their  confi- 
dence in  leadership.  The  present  attitude  of  many 
churches  is  full  of  such  inconsistency  as  Dr.  Atkin- 
son has  shown  in  the  work  referred  to.  It  would 
be  far  better  to  stand  by  the  attitude  of  absolute 
condemnation  than  to  condemn  a  performance 
under  the  name  of  a  play  and  to  accept  it  under 
the  name  of  a  pageant.  The  former  attitude  at 
least  commands  the  respect  of  a  thinking  mind 
even  though  it  may  not  win  assent. 

The  writer  once  talked  with  a  young  man  who 
had  listened  to  the  sermon  of  a  pastor  on  card 
playing  in  which  scathing  denunciation  and  con- 
signment to  everlasting  punishment  had  been 
heaped  upon  all  those  who  indulged  in  this  form 
of  amusement.  The  statement  had  been  made  that 
no  one  could  take  part  in  a  game  of  cards  and  be  a 
Christian,  and  that  anyone  who  claimed  so  to  do 
was  a  liar  and  a  hypocrite.  During  the  following 
week  this  young  man  attended  a  social  gathering 
at  the  same  church.  The  entertainment  provided 
was  in  part  a  progressive  salmagundi  of  games. 
One  of  the  first  to  which  he  was  invited  was  called 
"worth  while,"  a  game  played  with  cards  bearing 
numbers  and  letters  of  the  alphabet.  Unfortu- 
nately for  the  effect  of  that  sermon  this  young  man 


70  Recreation  and  the  Church 

happened  to  know  that  the  game  in  question  was 
none  other  than  that  of  fan-tan,  a  diversion  which 
has  held  for  many  generations  in  China  about  the 
same  position  as  that  of  poker  in  our  own  land. 

Set  over  against  this  another  illustration.  In 
the  parish  house  of  one  of  our  large  churches  there 
has  been  conducted  for  some  time  a  dance  for  young 
men  and  women  who  are  employed  in  the  stores 
and  factories  of  the  city.  For  many  of  these  the 
dance  affords  practically  the  only  opportunity 
they  have  for  social  fellowship,  and  all  of  them  had 
been  seeking  this  amusement  in  the  public  dance 
halls,  often  under  anything  but  helpful  surround- 
ings. Here  they  found  good  music,  good  air,  good 
fellowship,  and  the  protection  afforded  by  careful 
and  wise  supervision.  Young  men  were  not 
allowed  to  dance  with  girls  whom  they  had  never 
met.  Close  holding,  immodest  conduct,  and  the 
objectionable  features  of  the  dance  hall  were  pro- 
hibited, and  the  prohibition  tactfully  but  firmly 
enforced.  Sometimes  it  was  necessary  to  debar 
the  few  who  failed  to  comply  with  the  rules.  Never 
was  this  done  without  many  expressions  of  ap- 
proval and  even  of  gratitude  from  the  large  major- 
ity of  the  young  people — a  striking  testimony  to 
their  preference  for  clean  and  wholesome  condi- 
tions. More  than  this,  the  instruction  given  as 
to  the  proper  mode  of  dancing  led  to  many  con- 
fidences regarding  matters  of  the  most  vital  moral 


Meeting  Needs  of  the  Community       71 

and  religious  import,  and  the  influences  exerted 
upon  these  young  people  were  of  untold  value. 

The  church  that  says  to  its  young  people: 
''Play,  by  all  means;  despise  not  any  form  of 
wholesome  amusement,  rightly  used;  but  be  master 
of  your  play,  not  its  slave;  preserve  your  own 
self-respect  and  that  of  your  Maker  and  God ;  scorn 
to  degrade  yourself  and  others  by  any  form  of  un- 
worthy amusement,"  will  find  its  message  respected 
and  its  precepts  followed  more  generally  than  we 
sometimes  surmise.  And  courage  of  our  convic- 
tions here  will  have  a  greater  effect  than  we  think 
upon  the  power  of  our  message  in  other  respects. 

We  repeat :  the  principle  that  the  church  should 
emphasize  is  that  of  discrimination  rather  than 
universal  prohibition.  Young  people  should  be 
trained  to  exercise  moral  judgment  in  the  use  of 
recreation.  This  is  not  so  easy,  but  it  makes  for 
strength  of  character,  while  the  other  method  too 
often  weakens  it.  Ha\dng  had  opportunity  for 
some  years  to  observe  closely  large  numbers  of 
young  people,  I  have  taken  pains  to  ascertain  the 
nature  of  their  early  training  in  this  respect.  The 
inquiry  has  convinced  me  that  young  people  who 
have  been  taught  to  exercise  their  own  judgment 
and  discrimination  are  most  likely  to  continue 
doing  so  through  life,  while  those  who  have  been 
prohibited  from  participating  in  various  amuse- 
ments without  reasons  that  will  stand  the  test  of 


72  Recreation  and  the  Church 

experience  are  the  ones  most  liable  to  excessive 
indulgence  when  once  they  escape  the  restraint 
of  authority.  Such  a  result  is  exactly  what  might 
be  expected  upon  psychological  grounds.  Every 
time  a  boy  or  girl  reaches  a  decision  of  his  or  her 
own  free  will,  character,  which  is  the  power  to  will 
and  to  do,  is  thereby  strengthened.  On  the  other 
hand,  the  old-fashioned  idea  of  forcing  compliance 
with  the  will  of  another  with  no  genuine  inner  assent 
has  exactly  the  opposite  effect.  There  are  too 
many  instances  of  young  people  who  have  left 
home  and  its  restraints  only  to  continue  this 
process  of  yielding  their  own  powers  of  choice  to 
the  will  of  the  crowd.  If  they  chance  to  get  in 
with  the  right  crowd,  the  worst  result  is  that  of 
comparatively  passive  goodness,  but  if  not,  the 
case  becomes  more  serious. 

§  2.      CO-OPERATIVE   ACTIVITIES 

A  vital  question  with  reference  to  needs  that 
may  be  discovered  in  the  community  is  whether 
the  church  can  best  be  of  service  through  recrea- 
tional activities  in  its  own  building  and  under  its 
own  supervision,  or  by  using  its  influence  in  co- 
operation with  other  agencies.  No  general  rule 
can  be  made  on  this  point.  It  depends  upon  cir- 
cumstances. It  is  safe  to  adopt  the  principle  that 
the  church  should  not  invest  its  time,  effort,  and 
money  in  any  individual  piece  of  work  that  can  be 


Meeting  Needs  of  the  Community       73 

done  as  well,  or  possibly  better,  by  other  agencies 
or  by  all  working  together.  Whether  this  is  the 
case  is  a  matter  for  individual  judgment,  in  view 
of  existing  conditions. 

Unnecessary  duplication  of  effort  should  be 
avoided  in  the  interest  of  economy.  If  one  set  of 
equipment  and  administrative  machinery  can  meet 
the  needs,  it  is  wasteful  to  add  to  the  number.  In 
such  an  enterprise  as  a  community  playground, 
requiring  a  considerable  amount  of  organization 
and  equipment,  there  is  always  the  question 
whether  the  church,  in  attempting  to  supply  this, 
may  not  be  led  aside  from  its  own  distinctive  task 
of  religious  leadership,  although  this  result  is  by 
no  means  necessary.  Still  another  danger  is  that 
of  limiting  the  usefulness  of  what  should  be  a  service 
to  the  community  through  the  fact  of  its  being 
identified  with  one  particular  church. 

To  illustrate,  take  the  case  of  a  community  of 
moderate  size  needing  playgrounds  for  its  children. 
Suppose  one  church,  stronger  than  the  others  and 
having  in  its  membership  a  predominant  share  of 
the  influence  and  financial  ability  of  the  town, 
recognizes  the  need,  and  proceeds  of  its  own  accord 
to  establish  and  conduct  a  playground.  Even 
though  the  work  may  be  done  in  a  spirit  of  gener- 
ous freedom  and  without  narrow  sectarian  limita- 
tions, there  will  nevertheless  be  many  who  dis- 
trust the  willingness  or  the  ability  of  any  church 


74  Recreation  and  the  Church 

to  conduct  such  an  enterprise  without  proselyting 
in  its  own  favor.  These  people  will  stay  away  and 
keep  their  children  away.  If,  therefore,  the  inter- 
est and  money  put  into  this  particular  piece  of 
church  work  should  weaken  the  total  resources 
of  the  community  to  such  an  extent  as  to  prevent 
the  establishment  of  a  larger  work  for  all,  it  would 
be  a  selfish  and  undesirable  enterprise. 

Such  an  unfortunate  result  will  be  avoided  if  the 
church  first  recognizing  the  need  proceeds  to  inspire 
others  with  the  same  vision  and  allows  the  enter- 
prise to  be  established  and  conducted  in  the  name 
of  all  the  churches  or  by  the  local  administration 
with  the  churches  in  active  co-operation. 

An  excellent  illustration  of  what  may  be  done 
in  this  direction  is  found  in  the  work  of  the  Con- 
gregational Church  of  Winnetka,  Illinois.  For 
years  this  church  has  held  an  enviable  position  of 
leadership  won  through  a  spirit  of  broad  and  liberal 
service  to  the  community,  which  has  prevented  the 
over-churching  of  the  \'illage  and  has  made  easier 
the  task  of  effective  leadership.  Through  its  com- 
munity house,  well  equipped  with  gymnasium  and 
clubrooms,  the  church  has  given  much  attention 
to  the  recreation  of  its  children  and  young  people. 
It  has  proceeded  from  the  first  upon  the  principle 
of  discovering  the  conditions  and  needs,  and  then 
meeting  them  in  such  a  manner  as  to  be  of  the 
greatest  service  to  all.     So  wise  and  suggestive 


Meeting  Needs  of  the  Community       75 

has  been  this  influence  that  a  community  senti- 
ment has  developed,  fmding  expression  in  a  recrea- 
tion board,  representing  the  village  authorities,  the 
school  and  park  boards,  and  the  churches.  A 
skilled  director  is  employed  to  plan  and  supervise 
the  work,  and  thus  all  the  equipment  and  facilities 
of  the  various  local  organizations  are  made  avail- 
able for  the  purposes  of  a  comprehensive  and  har- 
monious recreational  scheme.  Similar  instances 
are  found  elsewhere  and  their  number  should 
increase. 

Cases  will  be  found  where  the  majority  of  the 
churches  or  community  leaders  are  so  lethargic  or 
lacking  in  vision  as  to  make  such  a  co-operative 
movement  impossible.  Under  such  conditions  it 
may  become  the  plain  duty  of  one  church  to 
initiate  the  movement  and  to  demonstrate  its 
value,  but  this  should  be  done  in  a  spirit  of  readi- 
ness to  merge  the  individual  enterprise  into  the 
larger  community  service  whenever  that  may 
become  possible. 

Still  another  phase  of  this  relationship  between 
the  individual  church  and  the  community  interest 
needs  to  be  considered.  It  has  to  do  with  the 
proper  control  of  commercialized  amusements,  and 
may  well  be  illustrated  by  the  case  of  the  motion- 
picture  show.  The  standards  of  this  type  of  amuse- 
ment are  far  from  desirable  in  many  places.  There 
is  undoubted  need  for  something  better.     Shall  this 


76  Recreation  and  the  Church 

be  provided  by  the  establishment  of  similar  enter- 
tainments in  the  churches  to  compete  with  the  com- 
mercial house,  or  by  exerting  the  influence  of  the 
churches  and  the  better  sentiment  that  they  may 
inspire  for  the  proper  supervision  of  all  the  picture 
theaters  of  the  locality?  If  the  former  policy  be 
chosen  with  the  result  of  making  good  pictures 
available  to  those  who  will  seek  them,  leaving  the 
rest  to  the  mercy  of  managers  with  low  standards, 
the  service  to  the  community  would  be  partial  only. 
In  some  cases  effective  competition  may  be  neces- 
sary as  a  weapon,  but  the  possibilities  of  raising  all 
standards  through  co-operation  and  control  should 
always  be  considered  first.  This  is  not  to  be  taken 
as  an  argument  against  the  use  of  motion  pictures 
for  educational  purposes  by  the  churches  and 
Sunday  schools. 

It  thus  appears  that  the  whole  question  of  co- 
operative or  individual  activities  is  to  be  decided 
in  favor  of  that  course  which,  under  the  existing 
circumstances,  will  render  the  largest  service  to  the 
community.  There  should  certainly  be  more  of 
effective  co-operation  than  now  exists.  Corre- 
spondence with  various  church  federations  in  all 
parts  of  the  country  reveals  the  fact  that  compara- 
tively little  has  been  done  through  these  organiza- 
tions in  the  way  of  constructive  recreational  work. 
Perhaps  the  largest  contribution  now  being  made 
is    through    the    various    Sunday-school    athletic 


Meeting  Needs  of  the  Community       77 

leagues,  and  these  are  for  the  most  part  limited  to 
a  few  games  for  boys  and  men,  such  as  baseball, 
tennis,  etc. 

In  some  cities  the  church  federations  have  done 
something  in  the  way  of  backing  local  enterprises, 


TENT  INSPECTION 

Strict  and  careful  inspection  of  tents  is  important  for  the  maintenance  of 
healthful  conditions  in  camp.  Each  tent  is  marked  on  a  point  system,  and  a 
banner  is  awarded  for  the  day  to  the  best  tent.  This  stimulates  a  healthy  rivalry 
and  helps  to  inculcate  habits  of  order  and  discipline. 


such  as  playgrounds  and  school  centers.  In  many 
cities,  too,  the  churches  are  co-operating  informally 
through  the  Y.M.C.A. 

The  following  brief  extracts  from  the  corre- 
spondence referred  to  will  serve  to  show  some- 
thing of  what  has  been  done  and  to  suggest  the 
possibilities. 


78  Recreation  and  the  Church 

The  secretary  of  the  Federation  of  Churches  in 
Portland,  Maine,  writes: 

Our  Federation  has  done  little  work  along  recreational 
lines.  With  the  co-operation  of  the  Y.M.C.A.,  our  Boys' 
Work  Department  conducted  three  years  ago  a  boys'  field 
day  for  the  boys  of  the  Sunday  schools.  Under  the  auspices 
of  the  Y.M.C.A.  are  conducted  Sunday-school  baseball  and 
basket-ball  leagues. 

The  public  playground  work  of  the  city  was  begun 
through  the  instrumentality  of  the  Civic  Club,  and  has  now 
come  under  municipal  direction,  a  supervisor  of  playgrounds 
having  been  added  to  the  force  of  workers  this  spring  by 
appointment  of  the  city  government. 

From  Erie,  Pennsylvania,  comes  this  note: 

Our  Men's  Inter-Church  Federation,  with  a  committee 
of  loo  from  the  churches  and  a  board  of  directors  of  24,  is 
the  central  organization  for  this  work.  We  co-operate  with 
the  Y.M.C.A.  in  a  summer  camp  for  boys  on  Lake  Erie. 
We  hold  a  Summer  Chautauqua  every  summer,  with  musical 
and  educational  features  and  entertainments  through  the 
week,  and  religious  services  on  Sundays.  Also  a  children's 
hour  each  day,  with  games,  drills,  story-telling,  etc. 

The  older  boys  and  girls  are  brought  together  for  social 
gatherings  and  games  several  times  each  year.  These  "get- 
togethers"  are  usually  held  in  the  social  rooms  of  some 
church  and  close  with  a  brief  address  on  some  live  topic  by  a 
live  man.  We  also  hold  "Eats "  for  the  purpose  of  acquaint- 
anceship and  inspiration  of  the  young  people. 

In  Hartford,  Connecticut,  the  Federation  of 
Churches  through  its  committees  on  public  amuse- 
ments, boys'  work,  and  the  like  is  backing  up  city 


Meeting  Needs  of  the  Community       79 

efforts  in  the  form  of  parks,  playgrounds,  and  semi- 
public  recreation  centers. 

Most  of  the  reports  from  federations  speak  of 
work  that  is  being  done  by  individual  churches 
and  of  more  or  less  co-operation  between  these 
churches.  But  there  is  little  evidence  that  this 
subject  of  recreation  in  its  relation  to  religious 
education  has  yet  been  seriously  studied  and  its 
possibilities  as  a  field  of  federated  church  work 
investigated.  The  need  for  co-operation  is  espe- 
cially felt  in  the  rural  districts  where  the  strong 
tendency  toward  individualism  is  a  serious  ob- 
stacle to  the  solution  of  social  and  recreational 
problems.  In  the  country  field  the  churches  and 
the  school  are  practically  the  only  available  places 
for  school  activities,  although  the  granges  and 
similar  organizations  are  beginning  to  offer  such 
opportunities.  But  most  country  churches  are 
hardly  strong  enough  to  carry  out  an  adequate 
program  single-handed. 

§  3.      INDIVIDUAL   CHURCH   ACTIVITIES 

Even  when  the  principle  of  co-operative  activity 
is  fully  recognized,  there  will  always  remain  enough 
work  to  occupy  the  resources  of  the  individual 
church.  Each  will  find  needs  in  its  own  congrega- 
tion and  parish  that  may  and  should  be  met 
without  interfering  with  its  wider  obligations. 
Such  individual  activities  will,   on  the  contrary, 


8o  Recreation  and  the  Church 

be  a  contribution  to  the  solution  of  the  total 
problem  if  carried  on  in  the  spirit  that  has  been 
indicated. 

The  children  and  young  people  of  any  congrega- 
tion should  feel  that  the  church  is  interested  in  their 
whole  life,  their  play  as  well  as  their  work.  Such 
feeling  will  bind  them  more  closely  to  the  church 
and  will  win  their  interest  and  loyalty.  The 
Sunday-school  teacher  who  never  plays  with  the 
members  of  his  class  misses  one  of  his  best  oppor- 
tunities for  sympathetic  acquaintance  and  personal 
influence.  Many  teachers  are  so  situated  that 
they  cannot  entertain  their  classes  at  home,  but 
would  gladly  meet  them  at  the  church  parish  house 
or  social  rooms  if  proper  facilities  were  provided. 
Such  organizations  as  the  Boy  Scouts  and  Camp 
Fire  Girls  lend  themselves  admirably  to  organized 
work  with  the  boys  and  girls  of  the  church  and, 
under  right  leadership,  yield  rich  fruitage  in  Chris- 
tian character. 

In  the  following  chapter  on  "The  Recreational 
Program"  we  shall  discuss  the  various  types  of  indi- 
vidual activities  and  their  value  for  children  and 
young  people  of  different  ages.  In  many  of  these, 
especially  the  athletic  sports  and  contests,  indi- 
vidual and  co-operative  action  is  blended.  In 
fact,  all  such  activities  are  co-operative  to  this 
extent  at  least,  that  they  do  their  share  toward 
meeting  the  recreational   needs   of   that   part  of 


Meeting  Needs  of  the  Community      8i 

the  community   for   which  the  individual  church 
is  especially  responsible. 

§  4.     supervision  and  leadership 

There  is  nothing  more  fundamental  to  the  solu- 
tion of  the  recreational  problem  than  adequate 
supervision.  Probably  more  attempts  in  the  way 
of  recreational  work  have  broken  down  through 
failure  to  recognize  this  factor  than  from  any  other 
cause.  The  point  has  already  been  touched  upon, 
but  its  importance  justifies  added  emphasis. 

The  first  necessity  is  seen  in  the  need  of  supervi- 
sion for  the  safeguarding  of  equipment.  This  is 
the  negative  side  and  the  least  important,  but  it  is 
the  phase  that  usually  appeals  most  strongly  at  the 
outset,  especially  to  that  portion  of  the  adult  con- 
gregation which  is  principally  concerned  with 
seeing  that  the  church  property  is  not  damaged. 
This  is  by  no  means  the  most  praiseworthy  motive. 
Many  of  us  need  to  learn  that  boys  and  girls  are  of 
more  value  than  carpets  and  furniture.  Those 
who  complain  of  the  ordinary  and  legitimate  wear 
and  tear -which  accompany  all  such  activities,  and 
who  fail  to  see  that  the  results  amply  justify  them, 
should  ponder  the  Master's  query:  "How  much 
then  is  a  man  of  more  value  than  a  sheep  ?"  We 
are  often  in  danger  of  placing  ourselves  in  the  same 
category  with  those  Gadarenes  who  besought  the 
Master  to  leave  them  and  their  property  in  peace. 


82  Recreation  and  the  Church 

For  the  comfort  of  such  careful  souls,  however, 
let  us  hasten  to  add  that  we  are  making  no  plea  for 
the  liberty  of  children  and  youth  to  destroy  or 
misuse  property.  Exactly  the  contrary  is  true,  but 
the  motive  should  be  found  in  the  best  interests  of 
the  child  rather  than  in  the  safety  of  the  property. 
The  orderly  and  careful  use  of  equipment  is  for  the 
best  interests  of  the  child,  and  should  therefore  be 
secured. 

The  key  to  the  situation  lies  in  tactful  and  com- 
petent leadership  which  shall  result  in  the  use  and 
not  the  abuse  of  the  privileges  afforded.  The  best 
solution  will  be  reached  by  emphasizing  the  idea 
of  "leadership,"  and  this  word  is  better  than 
"supervision." 

Leadership  is  needed  for  the  enrichment  of  play 
life.  Attention  has  already  been  called  to  the 
limited  repertoire  of  games  possessed  by  the  average 
child.  In  the  recreation  survey  of  Ipswich,  Massa- 
chusetts, covering  a  study  of  153  boys  and  185  girls, 
it  was  found  that  only  two  games,  football  and 
baseball,  were  commonly  played  by  more  than  half 
of  the  boys,  and  tag  and  hide  and  seek  by  more  than 
half  of  the  girls.  Similar  findings  in  other  studies 
confirm  the  fact  that  a  very  large  number  of  games 
with  high  recreative  and  educational  value  are 
quite  unknown  to  the  majority  of  children.  These 
need  to  be  taught  under  good  leadership  and  when 
so  taught  are  eagerly  welcomed. 


Meeting  Needs  of  the  Community      83 

But  by  far  the  most  important  demand  for  the 
right  kind  of  leadership  lies  in  the  fact  that  without 
it  the  opportunities  for  bringing  out  the  mental  and 
moral  values  of  play  are  sure  to  be  lost  in  great 
measure.  What  these  opportunities  are  has  already 
been  illustrated  in  our  discussion  of  the  "Religious 


LEADERS  AT  CAMP  101.  \   i    i. 

Good  leadership  is  essential  to  the  success  of  a  camp.  This  Y.M.C.A. 
camp  has  its  director,  physician,  chaplain,  and  instructors  in  physical  work, 
nature  study,  manual  training,  and  a  leader  for  each  tent.  A  leaders'  meet- 
ing each  morning  takes  up  questions  of  discipline,  camp  activities,  and  other 
topics  connected  with  the  welfare  of  the  camp. 


Educational  Value  of  Play  and  Recreation"  (chap- 
ter i).  Such  values  are  to  be  realized  in  full 
measure  only  under  the  leadership  of  a  man  or 
woman  of  high  ideals,  strong  character,  tact,  good 
judgment,  and  winning  personality.  Such  a  leader 
finds  abundant  avenues  of  approach  to  the  heart 


84  Recreation  and  the  Church 

and  will  of  the  child  in  the  various  situations  that 
arise  on  the  playground  or  in  the  game-room. 

The  profession  of  playground  director  or  director 
of  boys'  or  girls'  work  is  already  established  and 
growing  in  importance.  Such  work  requires,  not 
only  natural  aptitude,  but  training  and  skill.  As 
such  it  demands  adequate  compensation.  Wher- 
ever possible,  the  church  should  have  on  its  staff 
such  directors,  one  for  boys  and  one  for  girls.  The 
salary  of  such  workers  ranges  from  six  hundred 
to  fifteen  hundred  dollars  a  year  for  church  posi- 
tions, and  from  one  thousand  to  eighteen  hundred 
dollars  for  general  school  or  playground  work. 

It  is  by  no  means  necessary  to  wait  until  this 
entire  cost  can  be  met  before  making  a  beginning. 
Many  churches  find  it  possible  to  secure  suitable 
leadership  on  part  time  at  very  much  less  expense. 
Often  there  will  be  found  young  men  and  women 
who  are  glad  to  devote  a  part  of  their  time  to  this 
work  for  the  sake  of  the  service  rendered  or  the 
experience  gained,  and  with  but  moderate  compen- 
sation to  enable  them  to  purchase  needed  books 
or  to  pursue  studies  to  fit  themselves  better  for  the 
discharge  of  their  duties.  Where  there  are  direc- 
tors in  the  schools  or  the  playgrounds  of  the  com- 
munity we  find  an  excellent  source  of  supply  for 
part-time  workers  in  the  churches. 

While  the  need  for  trained  and  salaried  leaders 
to  plan  and  direct  activities  is  thus  apparent,  no 


Meeting  Needs  of  the  Community      85 

church  should  lose  sight  of  the  opportunity  to 
develop  volunteer  leadership  from  among  its  own 
members.  It  is  a  duty  of  the  church  to  develop  its 
membership  in  character  and  usefulness  by  offering 
them  such  tasks,  and  the  results  richly  repay  the 
trouble  of  the  undertaking.  There  are  many  lines 
of  opportunity  for  such  service.  Teachers  of 
Sunday-school  classes  should  be  shown  how  they 
may  increase  their  usefulness  by  leadership  in  week- 
day recreational  pursuits  as  well  as  in  the  class 
sessions.  The  leadership  of  group  clubs  for  boys 
and  girls  is  another  opportunity,  and  there  is  a 
constantly  growing  demand  for  the  right  kind  of 
leaders  in  the  Boy  Scouts,  Camp  Fire  Girls,  and 
similar  organizations  both  within  and  without  the 
church. 

In  many  communities  there  is  an  increasing  reali- 
zation of  the  opportunity  for  helpful  co-operation 
between  the  churches  and  the  Christian  Associa- 
tions in  the  training  of  young  men  and  women  in 
the  Association  classes  for  leadership  of  boys  and 
girls  in  the  churches. 

Too  much  care  can  scarcely  be  exercised  in  this 
selection  of  leaders,  for  upon  the  right  kind  thereof 
success  usually  depends.  The  leader  must  know 
the  child,  his  interests,  his  impulses,  and  his  possi- 
bilities. He  must  know  the  resources  at  hand  by 
which  these  possibihties  may  be  brought  to  their 
highest  realization.     He  must  be  firm  but  fair; 


86  Recreation  and  the  Church 

know  when  to  command  and  when  to  suggest, 
when  to  go  ahead  and  when  to  lead  from  the  rear; 
and,  above  all,  he  must  be  able  to  win  that  con- 
fidence and  that  afifection  which  are  based  only 
upon  respect  for  evident  ability  and  untarnished 
character.  Such  a  leader  will  prove  to  be  one  of 
the  best  investments  that  any  church  can  make  for 
the  moral  and  religious  education  of  its  children 
and  youth. 


CHAPTER  IV 

THE  RECREATIONAL  PROGRAM 

§  I.     life-periods:    their  characteristics  and 

TREATMENT 

If  we  are  to  make  the  best  use  of  the  educational 
values  of  recreation,  due  regard  must  be  had  for 
the  proper  grading  of  games  and  plays  with  refer- 
ence to  the  natural  interests  of  the  child  at  various 
ages.  Each  period  has  its  characteristic  traits 
which  lead  the  child  to  desire  different  types  of 
games  from  those  of  other  stages  of  growth.  "In 
other  words,"  as  Miss  Bancroft  says,  "his  own 
powers,  in  their  natural  evolution,  seek  instinc- 
tively the  elements  in  play  that  will  contribute  to 
their  own  growth."  We  must  remember,  however, 
that  life  is  a  continuous  process  and  does  not  pro- 
gress by  leaps  and  bounds.  One  period  merges 
gradually  into  the  next,  and  any  program  of  games 
will  contain  those  that  may  be  used  in  more  than 
one  period. 

The  best  treatment  of  this  topic  is  to  be  found 
in  George  Ellsworth  Johnson's  Education  by  Plays 
and  Games,  to  which  the  reader  is  referred  for  fuller 
lists  and  descriptions  of  games  than  can  here  be 
given.     Games  for  tJic  Playground,  Home,  School 

87 


88  Recreation  and  the  Church 

and  Gymnasium  by  Jessie  Bancroft  is  also  a  stand- 
ard work  of  great  value.  Other  works  are  listed 
in  the  bibliography. 

Mr.  Johnson  names  five  periods,  from  infancy 
to  fifteen  years  of  age.  We  shall  pass  over  the 
first  two,  including  the  years  up  to  seven,  not  be- 
cause they  lack  importance,  but  because  their 
problem  is  more  particularly  that  of  the  home  and 
its  environment.  This  is  to  a  certain  measure 
true  of  the  period  from  seven  to  nine,  but  in 
many  communities  the  home  is  so  utterly  unable 
to  care  for  these  children  that  they  may  be  in- 
cluded even  in  this  brief  survey.  We  also  carry 
the  discussion  one  period  farther  as  the  problem 
of  the  church  with  reference  to  young  people 
demands. 

I.  Childhood  (ages  seven  to  nine). — This  is  a 
period  of  transition.  Growth  is  rapid,  although 
not  so  rapid  as  in  the  earlier  years,  the  increase  in 
weight  being  about  13  per  cent  less  and  that  in 
height  about  1 2  per  cent  less  than  during  the  period 
from  three  to  six  years  of  age.  At  about  the  eighth 
year  there  is  manifest  a  tendency  to  disease  and 
fatigue  which  may  be  accounted  for,  in  part  at 
least,  by  the  troubles  incident  to  dentition,  and  to 
the  increased  strain  upon  the  heart,  which  at  this 
period  is  only  about  one-third  of  its  full  size,  but 
which  must  furnish  blood  to  a  body  that  has 
reached  two-thirds  of  adult  size. 


The  Recreational  Program  89 

We  are  still  dealing  with  a  little  child,  but  with 
the  difference  that  the  entrance  upon  school  life 
has  given  him  a  wider  environment  and  introduced 
him  to  the  beginnings  of  social  relationships. 
Johnson  says:  "There  is  a  transition  from  interest 
in  the  control  of  the  body  and  in  activity  for  its 
own  sake  to  interest  in  the  control  of  environment 
and  in  activity  for  the  end's  sake.  It  is  a  period 
of  development  of  motor  co-ordinations  and  sense 
judgments.  The  elements  of  skill  and  competition 
appear  in  the  play."  All  this  marks  the  change 
from  mere  play  to  games.  Teamwork,  however, 
has  not  yet  developed.  The  child  is  individualistic 
rather  than  co-operative.  Mr.  Johnson  also  calls 
attention  to  the  child's  "disinclination  to  try 
unless  assured  of  success,"  and  his  "sensitiveness 
to  failure."  It  is  important  to  note  this  tendency 
and  not  to  mistake  it  for  laziness  or  backwardness. 
The  child  should  be  protected  as  far  as  possible 
from  hasty  criticism  or  ridicule,  and  encouraged 
by  due  praise  of  his  efforts. 

/  Active  free  play  is  natural  to  this  period,  and 
apparatus  or  facilities  for  games  of  running,  jump- 
ing, climbing,  sliding,  and  similar  activities  should 
be  provided.  On  the  playground  the  children  of 
this  age  are  eager  patrons  of  the  teeter-boards, 
swings  of  various  kinds,  climbing  poles  or  ropes, 
slides,  and  apparatus  of  like  nature.  Weigle  notes 
that  "imaginative  play,  with  its  little  dramas  of 


Qo  Recreation  and  the  Church 

make-believe,  reaches  its  culrnination  in  the  first 
half  of  this  period.  It  continues  until  adolescence, 
though  constantly  decreasing  in  importance,  to  be 
replaced  by  games  of  the  competitive  sort."  These 
dramatic  and  imitative  plays  are  another  form  of 
the  constructive  instinct  and  afford  a  large  educa- 
tional opportunity.  They  help  to  develop  the 
power  of  forming  and  following  ideals,  a  vital  factor 
in  character.  The  sand  pile  or  garden,  with  imple- 
ments for  digging,  toy  carts  and  reins,  dolls  and 
doll-houses,  in  fact  any  kind  of  toys  or  materials 
which  lend  themselves  to  the  mimic  reproduction 
of  the  activities  of  adult  life  are  favorites  here.] 

Johnson  lists  over  one  hundred  games  for  this 
period,  including  games  of  chasing,  hunting,  guess- 
ing, singing,  and  dancing.  Some  of  them  are  hide 
and  seek,  puss  in  the  corner.  Tommy  Tiddler's 
ground,  drop  the  handkerchief,  follow  the  leader, 
going  to  Jerusalem,  bean  bags,  jump  the  rope, 
hopscotch,  blindman's  buff,  Ruth  and  Jacob,  magic 
music.  There  are  many  others  less  familiar  but 
equally  good.  Many  of  them  are  suitable  for  in- 
doors or  out,  and  almost  all  of  them  are  equal 
favorites  with  girls  and  boys.  Indeed,  there  is 
little  demand  for  the  separation  of  the  sexes  in 
the  play  of  this  period.  Some  of  the  games  listed 
for  this  age  are  valuable  for  training  the  powers  of 
observation  and  discrimination,  and  many  of  them 
are  suitable  for  schoolroom  drill. 


The  Recreational  Program 


91 


2.  Boyhood  and  girlhood  (ages  ten  to  twelve). — 
Weigle  calls  this  "a  period  of  slow  growth,  of  health 
and  hardihood."  The  retarding  of  physical  growth 
seems  to  be  for  the  sake  of  giving  opportunity  for 
the  inner  structures  to  develop  and  for  the  estab- 
lishment   of    greater    co-ordination    between    the 


HIS  0\\.\    li»()L   BOX 

In  the  carpenter  shop  of  the  Brick  Church  Institute,  Rochester,  New 
York.  Under  a  skilled  instructor  the  boys  are  taught  to  make  their  own  sleds, 
kites,  wagons,  and  other  toys,  as  well  as  bookcases,  tabourets,  and  similar 
articles.     Home  ties  are  strengthened  by  the  making  of  things  for  home  use. 


nervous  and  muscular  systems.  It  is  the  time 
when  the  power  to  resist  disease  seems  to  be  at  its 
height,  also  a  time  of  ceaseless  activity,  both  of 
body  and  of  mind.  It  is  a  favorable  opportunity 
for  the  formation  of  habits.  The  child  is  still 
decidedly  individualistic,  and  this  tendency  is  made 
more  apparent  by  the  fact  that  growing  strength  and 
ability  lead  to  greater  self-assertiveness.     Toward 


92  Recreation  and  the  Church 

the  end  of  the  period  the  social  instinct  begins  to 
awaken,  as  is  shown  by  growing  interest  in  team 
games,  although  of  the  type  which  gives  abundant 
opportunity  for  individual  action.  Control  must 
be  by  wise  and  fair  but  firm  authority;  drill 
methods,  both  physical  and  intellectual,  are  of 
value  in  helping  to  establish  such  control. 

The  interest  in  all  free  and  active  games  con- 
tinues strong  throughout  the  period,  running  games 
being  particularly  popular.  The  dramatic  instinct 
is  still  strong  and  the  imitative  plays  reach  out 
into  a  wider  and  more  strenuous  circle  of  activity. 
"Now,  certainly,  if  at  no  other  time,"  says  Weigle, 
"the  boy's  interests  reflect  the  activities  of  a  more 
primitive  generation.  Fighting,  hunting,  fishing, 
exploring,  collecting,  go  to  make  up  his  life." 

At  this  time  the  sexes  begin  to  draw  apart  and 
boys  and  girls  do  not  enjoy  the  same  games,  or  at 
least  do  not  care  to  play  them  together. 

The  transition  of  interest  from  the  mere  activity 
to  the  end  in  view,  which  began  in  the  preceding 
period,  now  continues  to  the  point  where  skill  and 
the  method  of  doing  things  begin  to  attract.  Both 
boys  and  girls  are  interested  in  making  things  and 
the  shop  or  workroom  becomes  a  valuable  equip- 
ment. A  feature  of  the  summer-school  work  for 
boys  and  girls  in  one  of  our  large  city  churches  has 
been  for  several  years  the  making  of  toys  and 
articles  for  home  use.     The  girls  like  sewing,  cook- 


The  Recreational  Program  93 

ing,  and  basketry,  and  the  boys,  in  the  carpenter 
shop,  make  knife  trays,  ironing  boards,  and  similar 
useful  articles  for  the  home.  A  copy  of  a  good 
picture  is  given  to  each  boy  who  makes  a  creditable 
frame  for  it,  and  interest  in  the  home  and  its  affairs 
has  been  greatly  strengthened  thereby. 

Among  the  popular  games  for  this  period  are 
prisoner's  base,  pom  pom  pullaway,  duck  on  the 
rock,  wolf,  relievo,  whip  tag,  cross  tag,  drop  the 
handkerchief,  fox  and  geese,  and  hare  and  hounds. 
To  encourage  the  development  of  the  socializing 
instincts  team  games  should  be  introduced,  begin- 
ning with  those  that  allow  much  individual  play. 
Such  in  particular  are  the  various  kinds  of  relays 
in  which  each  team  has  four  or  more  players.  At 
the  signal  the  first  player  on  each  team  starts  and, 
upon  completing  the  course  or  stunt,  touches  the 
next  player  on  his  side  who  takes  up  the  race,  and 
.so  on  until  the  end.  The  team  getting  its  last  man 
in  first  wins. 

I  The  relays  include  the  simple  running  relay 
races,  all  up  (played  with  Indian  clubs  or  ten  pins), 
bag  pile,  circle  relay,  fetch  and  carry,  pass  ball, 
potato  relays  of  various  kinds,  shuttle  relay,  and 
others.  These  will  be  found  described  in  Miss 
Bancroft's  Games  for  the  Playground,  Home,  School 
and  Gymnasium. 

Dodge  ball  and  black  and  white,  also  described 
by  Miss  Bancroft,  are  two  very  popular  games. 


94  Recreation  and  the  Church 

'.  In  teaching  games  with  many  rules  to  children 
at  this  period,  it  is  better  to  begin  with  the  most 
essential  rules  at  first  and  to  let  the  others  be 
learned  gradually.  It  is  best,  however,  to  keep  to 
the  simpler  games  for  this  age. 

3.  Early  adolescence  (ages  twelve  to  fifteen). — - 
This  period  is  marked  by  rapid  increase  in  bodily 
growth  and  in  the  development  of  the  heart  and 
lungs,  the  sexual  organs,  and  associational  brain 
fibers.  With  the  transition  from  immaturity  in 
the  physical  life  comes  self-consciousness  and  sex- 
consciousness.  It  is  a  time  of  emotional  disturb- 
ance and  of  awkwardness  and  embarrassment 
heightened  by  the  uneven  growth  and  lack  of  easy 
control  of  movements  characteristic  of  the  period. 
It  is  characterized  also  by  fits  of  reverie,  day- 
dreaming, and  indolence.  It  is  a  time  of  strange 
and  marked  contrast;  mischievousness,  practical 
joking,  misdemeanors,  and  even  criminal  outbreaks, 
on  the  one  hand,  and,  on  the  other,  altruistic 
idealism  and  susceptibility  to  religious  influence. 
Interest  in  organized  forms  of  life  marks  the  devel- 
opment of  the  social  instincts  and  we  find  teams  and 
gangs  formed  with  loyalty  to  their  leaders.  With 
growing  interest  in  more  complex  activities  comes 
naturally  an  attention  to  methods  and  to  skill, 
and  this  leads  to  greater  interest  in  adults  and  their 
ways  of  doing  things.  The  one  who  can  do  things 
better  than  the  rest  is  readily  followed.     In  the 


The  Recreational  Program 


95 


various  organizations  that  are  voluntarily  formed 
at  this  time,  physical  prowess  is  one  of  the  surest 
claims  to  leadership. 

In  all  such  organizations  as  well  as  in  the  team 
play  that  requires  coaching,  there  is  the  best  of 


ON  THE  WAY  TO  THE  DOCTOR 

Boy  Scouts  carrying  a  patient,  to  whom  First  Aid  has  been  given,  on  a 
stretcher  made  of  coats  and  scout  staves.  First-Aid  drill  combines  good  fun 
and  useful  knowledge. 

opportunities  for  the  exercise  of  wholesome  influ- 
ence through  personality  and  through  superior 
knowledge  and  ability.  But  the  leader  who  would 
"make  good"  must  be  able,  in  the  vernacular  of 
the  time,  to  "put  it  across." 


96  Recreation  and  the  Church 

The  gymnasium,  both  indoor  and  open-air,  is 
a  valuable  equipment  from  now  on.  All  athletic 
stunts  and  games  are  popular,  and  the  fact  that 
they  require  hard  work  and  considerable  practice 
is  an  attraction  rather  than  otherwise.  There  is  a 
love  of  personal  display  which  makes  acrobatic 
feats,  tumbling,  pyramid  building,  and  similar 
exercises  well  liked.  Interest  increases  steadily  in 
all  the  familiar  athletic  sports,  baseball,  football, 
soccer,  handball,  tennis,  basket-ball,  and  hockey. 
Competition  and  a  high  degree  of  physical  activity 
are  desirable  qualities.  Teamwork  should  be 
developed  and  great  emphasis  laid  upon  clean  sport 
and  fair  play. 

Many  of  the  games  played  in  the  preceding 
period  are  equally  popular  here,  such  as  dodge  ball, 
prisoner's  base,  hare  and  hounds,  duck  on  the  rock, 
and  various  forms  of  relays.  Battle-ball,  volley- 
ball, scrimmage-ball,  are  three  other  good  games 
described  by  Miss  Bancroft. j  Two  others  may  be 
added:   German  bat-ball  and  slag-ball. 

German  bat-ball  is  played  by  any  number 
divided  into  equal  sides.  A  volley-ball  is  used. 
A  line  is  drawn  for  "home,"  and  the  side  at  bat 
is  lined  up  behind  this.  About  fifty  feet  distant, 
the  exact  distance  depending  upon  the  size  of  the 
room  or  ground  and  the  strength  of  the  runners,  a 
base  is  established  by  placing  a  rock  or  other  object. 
One  player  from  the  "  in  "  side  tosses  up  the  ball  and 


The  Recreational  Program 


97 


bats  it  with  the  flat  of  the  hand,  then  runs  to  the 
base,  around  it,  and  back  to  "home."  The  batter 
is  out  if  the  ball  is  caught  on  the  fly  by  a  player  of 
the  opposing  side  or  if  he  is  touched  or  struck  by 
the  thrown  ball  before  he  gets  back  to  the  home 
line.     Otherwise  he  scores  a  run  for  his  side.     The 


MAKING  BASKETS 

Recreation  and  instruction  in  useful  arts  are  often  combined  as  in  the  case 
of  this  girls'  club.  They  found  it  good  fun  to  make  Christmas  presents  in  the 
basketry  room. 


next  player  on  the  "in"  side  then  goes  to  bat  and 
that  side  continues  until  three  outs  have  been  made. 
The  game  is  played  by  innings  as  in  baseball.  A 
player  in  the  field  securing  the  ball  on  the  bound 
may  either  throw  at  the  runner  or  to  another  mem- 
ber of  his  own  team  who  has  a  better  chance  to  put 
the  runner  out.  The  ball  may  not  be  held  by  a 
fielder  for  more  than  five  seconds,  nor  may  the 


98  Recreation  and  the  Church 

fielder  take  more  than  one  step  in  any  direction 
in  the  act  of  fielding  it. 

Slag-ball  is  played  in  much  the  same  way  as 
baseball,  except  that  a  basket  or  soccer  ball  is  used, 
rather  soft.  The  pitcher  rolls  the  ball  and  the 
batter  kicks  it  instead  of  striking  it  with  a  bat.  He 
then  runs  bases,  and  may  be  put  out  as  in  the 
regular  game  of  baseball,  except  that  he  may  be 
pyt  out  by  being  hit  with  the  ball  while  off  base. 

/  It  will  be  found  that  the  girls  are  quite  as  much 
interested  in  these  games  as  the  boys,  although,  as 
has  been  said,  the  sexes  will  not  care  to  play  to- 
gether. 

It  is  at  this  period  especially  that  the  value  of 
wise  and  sympathetic  leadership  becomes  most  ap- 
parent, and  fortunately  it  is  easily  established,  as 
noted  above.  It  is  the  best  of  all  times  for  the 
effective  use  of  such  organizations  as  the  Boy 
Scouts,  Camp  Fire  Girls,  Knights  of  King  Arthur, 
Woodcraft  League  for  Boys  and  Girls,  and  other 
similar  movements.  The  handbooks  published  by 
these  organizations  will  give  full  descriptions  and 
suggestions  for  work,  as  also  the  excellent  work 
by  Richardson  and  Loomis,  The  Boy  Scout  Move- 
ment Applied  by  the  Church. 

f  Of  all  these  the  Boy  Scouts,  Camp  Fire  Girls, 
and  Woodcraft  League  are  undoubtedly  the  best 
in  their  thorough  adaptation  to  the  interests  and 
needs  of  those  whom  they  are  intended  to  benefit. 


The  Recreational  Program  99 

The  most  recently  organized,  they  may  fairly  be 
said  to  rest  upon  the  best  modern  study  of  the 
adolescent  boy  and  girl.  Their  ideals,  as  expressed 
in  their  laws  and  pledges,  contain  the  fundamental 
elements  of  boy  and  girl  religion,  and  the  flexi- 
bility of  their  system  makes  it  possible  to  intro- 
duce as  much  or  as  little  of  distinctively  religious 
instruction  as  circumstances  may  make  desirable. 
Their  educational  value  is  very  high,  this  being 
amply  recognized  by  the  way  in  which  some  of 
our  leading  universities  have  established  courses 
of  training  for  scout  masters  and  other  leaders  in 
the  movement.  Their  appeal  to  the  youth  is 
many-sided  and  the  possibilities  for  development 
of  body,  mind,  and  spirit  are  limited  only  by  the 
skill  and  resourcefulness  of  the  leader.  As  in  any 
other  form  of  organized  work,  the  success  depends 
entirely  upon  the  leadership  given,  and  in  each  of 
these  movements  every  effort  is  made  by  the 
Headquarters  Committee  to  safeguard  the  choice 
and  appointment  of  leaders.  A  strong  recom- 
mendation for  them  is  the  ease  with  which  they 
may  be  inaugurated  with  little  or  no  specialized 
equipment  and  the  opportunity  which  they  pre- 
sent for  enlisting  men  and  women  of  varied  talents 
in  the  work  of  teaching  interesting  and  useful 
subjects.  These  organizations  are  now  so  well 
known  that  detailed  description  seems  unneces- 
sary Abut  further  information  may  be  secured  by 


loo  Recreation  and  the  Church 

addressing  the  Boy  Scouts  of  America,  200  Fifth 
Avenue,  New  York  City;  the  Camp  Fire  Girls, 
118  East  28th  Street,  New  York  City;  the  Wood- 
craft League,  13  West  29th  Street,  New  York  City. 
The  Woodcraft  League  is  organized  in  five  divi- 
sions as  follows:  the  Big  Lodge  of  the  Woodcraft 
Boys,  from  twelve  to  eighteen;  the  Big  Lodge  of 
the  Woodcraft  Girls,  from  twelve  to  eighteen;  the 
Little  Lodge  for  children  under  twelve;  the  Wood- 
craft Club  for  men  and  women  over  eighteen;  and 
the  Sun  Lodge  for  men  and  women,  twenty-one  and 
over,  interested  in  specializing  in  woodcraft.  Each 
of  these  sections  has  its  own  printed  matter  and 
badge.  The  details  of  the  work  vary  according  to 
the  needs  of  the  group.  The  manuals  for  the  boys' 
and  girls'  divisions  are  now  pubhshed  and  are  listed 
in  the  Bibliography,  section  13, 
(  4.  Later  Adolescence  (ages  sixteen  to  twenty- 
one). — It  is  not  so  easy  to  set  age  limits  for  this 
period.  The  transition  from  early  adolescence  to 
the  later  period  is  very  gradual  and  the  cause  of 
change  is  varied.  To  quote  from  Weigle,  The 
Pupil  and  the  Teacher,  "in  every  life  there  is  a  more 
or  less  definite  turning-point  around  sixteen  to 
eighteen.  It  may  be  some  moral  or  emotional 
crisis;  it  may  be  conversion.  Or,  it  is  the  begin- 
ning work  to  support  one's  self,  or  leaving  home  to 
go  to  college.  It  may  be  nothing  more  than  the 
attainment  of  full  growth  in  height.     To  know,  in 


The  Recreational  Program  ioi 

any  particular  case,  just  what  the  turning-point 
has  been,  is  essential  to  any  real  understanding  of 
the  succeeding  years." 

Many  writers  recognize  three  stages  in  adoles- 
cence, early,  middle,  and  later,  making  the  second 
stage  include  the  years  from  about  sixteen  to 
eighteen,  and  the  last  from  eighteen  to  twenty- 
four  or  twenty-five.  The  best  usage  in  the  grading 
of  athletic  contests  does  recognize  a  group  corre- 
sponding to  this  middle  stage,  but  for  our  purposes 
the  period  may  as  well  be  described  as  stated 
above. 

/  As  Weigle  says,  the  development  of  individuality 
is  the  outstanding  feature  of  this  period,  and  that 
development  is  affected  by  external  conditions  as 
much  as  by  physical  or  mental  growth.  It  is  a 
time  of  life-choices  and  their  consequent  modifica- 
tions of  environment,  and  these  have  great  influ- 
ence upon  the  interests,  character,  and  mode  of 
approach  to  the  individual. 

The  individualism  of  this  period,  however,  is  not 
that  of  the  pre-adolescent  years.  The  later  ado- 
lescent is  conscious  of  his  relations  to  society. 
He  responds  to  the  social  demand  as  he  did  not 
before,  and  he  has  greater  possibilities  of  co- 
operative work  and  play;  yet  in  matters  of  moral 
conduct  he  must  be  dealt  with  as  an  individual  and 
with  full  recognition  of  his  rights  as  such.  Leader- 
ship must  be  suggestive,  not  arbitrary,  and  every 


I02  Recreation  and  the  Church 

opportunity  must  be  improved  to  develop  his  own 
powers  of  leadership  and  self-control. 

A  large  number  of  the  games  of  the  two  pre- 
ceding periods  will  be  found  popular  in  this  for  the 
purpose  of  amusement,  but  the  major  interest  and 
the  greater  educational  opportunities  will  be  found 
in  the  recognized  athletic  sports  and  games  and 
in  social  recreation  of  the  type  that  promotes 
fellowship  and  acquaintance. 

Basket-ball,  baseball,  indoor  and  outdoor,  foot- 
ball and  soccer,  volley-ball,  water  polo,  track 
athletics,  and  the  like  will  occupy  the  prominent 
place  and  interchurch  and  school  competitions  will 
be  very  popular.  With  such  competitive  events 
the  necessity  arises  for  standardized  rules  govern- 
ing eligibility  and  similar  problems.  These  will  be 
treated  more  fully  at  a  later  point. 

Toward  the  latter  part  of  the  period  especially 
interest  in  social  events  increases.  Singing,  glee 
clubs,  dramatics,  and  dancing  will  be  very  popular. 
All  of  them  fill  a  very  real  place  in  the  Hfe  of  young 
people  and,  as  has  been  clearly  set  forth  in  the  pre- 
ceding chapter,  they  should  be  utiHzed  and  directed 
with  a  view  to  bringing  out  their  highest  values. 
One  important  feature  of  these  social  activities 
that  has  not  been  touched  upon  is  the  oppor- 
tunity they  give  to  large  numbers  of  young  people, 
especially  those  who  are  working  and  living  away 
from  home,  to  meet  those  of  the  other  sex.     It  be- 


The  Recreational  Program  103 

comes  a  very  serious  problem  with  many  young 
men  under  such  circumstances  to  know  how  and 
where  they  may  form  the  acquaintance  of  young 
women  whom  they  can  respect  and  admire,  and 
from  among  whom  they  may  select  their  life- 
partners.  Here  is  a  service  that  the  church  and 
similar  organizations  may  render  through  the  wise 
promotion  of  such  recreational  activities.  Many 
instances  might  be  cited  from  personal  experience 
of  just  such  service  issuing  in  marriage  and  happy 
home-life.  There  is  hardly  any  influence  that  can 
come  into  the  life  of  the  young  man  at  this  age  more 
potent  for  good  or  for  evil  than  that  of  the  young 
women  with  whom  he  associates,  and  the  church 
may  do  much  to  control  this  influence. 

The  converse  of  this  statement  is  equally  true. 
The  character  of  her  young-men  friends  and  asso- 
ciates is  equally  potent  in  the  development  of  the 
young  woman's  life.  In  these  days  when  girls  go 
to  work  almost  as  generally  as  young  men,  and  are 
thus  taken  out  from  the  more  sheltered  life  of  the 
home  and  thrown  into  the  daily  intercourse  of  busi- 
ness life,  this  problem  assumes  all  the  greater  im- 
portance. The  girl,  being  more  restricted  by  social 
usage  from  exercising  her  own  choice  in  the  seeking 
of  male  companionship,  may  perhaps  demand  all 
the  more  strongly  the  protection  of  the  church 
and  of  society  from  undesirable  associates  and  the 
furnishing  of  opportunity  for  meeting  the  right  sort.^ 


I04  Recreation  and  the  Church 

§  2.      ATHLETIC    COMPETITIONS 

The  element  of  rivalry  in  competitive  events  is 
a  powerful  factor  in  developing  and  maintaining 
interest.  Without  a  certain  amount  of  it  the  inter- 
est in  the  recreational  activities  of  the  school  or 
church  is  likely  to  lag  and  the  opportunities  for 
good  work  are  lessened.  It  is  a  thing  that  must 
be  watched  and  safeguarded  lest  it  lead  youthful 
enthusiasm  astray  and  bring  in  abuses  that  may  do 
more  harm  than  good.  Most  of  the  churches 
and  Sunday  schools  that  have  gone  into  competi- 
tive athletics  have  thus  far  been  far  behind  the 
Y.M.C.A.  and  the  schools  and  colleges  in  this 
respect.  The  rules  and  standards  of  such  organiza- 
tions as  the  Amateur  Athletic  Union  (generally 
known  as  the  A.A.U.),  the  Athletic  League  of  the 
Y.M.C.A.  of  North  America  (the  A.L.N.A.),  and 
the  Amateur  Athletic  Federation  of  Cook  County, 
Illinois,  should  be  studied  and  all  athletic  competi- 
tions should  be  conducted  in  accordance  with  their 
spirit. 

The  rules  governing  registration,  transfers,  and 
the  eligibility  of  contestants  to  represent  their 
respective  organizations  are  especially  important. 
Without  them  abuses  are  sure  to  creep  in — ^pro- 
fessionalism, proselyting,  disputes  which  leave  hard 
feeling,  and  such  other  difficulties  as  are  sure  to 
arise  in  the  heat  of  competition.  So  important  is 
this  point  that  a  few  illustrations  may  be  given 


The  Recreational  Program  105 

from  the  work  of  the  Amateur  Athletic  Federation, 
the  organization  which  is  of  special  interest  to  the 
churches  and  Sunday  schools. 

This  organization  arose  out  of  the  definite  need 
for  some  regulating  influence  in  the  indoor-baseball 


LEADERS'  CLASS,  BRICK  CHURCH  INSTITUTE,  ROCHESTER, 
NEW  YORK 

Training  for  future  leadership  is  a  valuable  item  in  the  church's  work. 
These  boys  have  taken  the  volunteer  leader's  gymnasium  course  of  the 
Y.M.C.A.  Those  who  pass  the  examination  are  privileged  to  wear  the  leader's 
emblem  of  the  church. 

circles  in  Cook  County,  Illinois.  Professionalism 
was  rife,  amateurs  and  professionals  placing  on  the 
same  teams,  some  of  them  on  more  than  one  team, 
and  loyalty  to  any  team  was  dependent  upon 
material  inducements.  A  similar  situation  ap- 
peared even  in  the  Sunday-School  Athletic  League, 


io6  Recreation  and  the  Church 

star  players  being  often  influenced  to  leave  one 
school  to  go  to  another  sometimes  through  the 
inducements  of  friends  and  sometimes  through 
more  practical  considerations.  One  may  easily 
imagine  the  seriousness  of  a  situation,  from  the 
standpoint  of  the  church,  in  which  loyalty  to  the 
Sunday  school  took  second  place  to  athletic 
interests. 

Within  a  year's  time  after  the  Federation  was 
organized  the  indoor-baseball  situation  was  cleared 
up  and  placed  upon  a  sound  basis  of  clean,  amateur 
sport.  The  Federation  extended  its  influence  to 
other  games,  and  now  makes  rules  to  govern  four- 
teen different  sports,  in  each  of  which  it  classifies 
athletes  according  to  age  and  ability.  This  has 
been  accomplished  by  uniting  in  this  federation 
practically  all  the  organizations  conducting  ama- 
teur athletics,  and  by  standardizing  and  unifying 
the  rules  and  methods  of  all.  The  matter  of  prose- 
lyting is  cared  for  by  their  eligibility  rules,  which 
are  as  follows: 

a)  Each  organization  in  the  Federation  must  have  regis- 
tration of  some  form,  which  shall  vouch  for  the  amateur 
standing  and  eligibility  of  its  members. 

b)  In  all  competitions  between  organizations  in  the 
Federation,  only  athletes  in  good  standing  under  the  rules 
of  their  respective  organizations  shall  be  eligible  to  compete. 

c)  At  each  contest,  eligibility  lists  showing  athletes  in 
good  standing  and  eligible  to  compete  in  the  events  sched- 
uled should  be  exchanged  by  the  organizations  involved. 


The  Recreational  Program 


107 


d)  An  athlete  who  has  represented  any  organization 
within  a  year  shall  not  be  eligible  to  represent  any  other 
organization  without  securing  a  written  transfer  signed  by 
a  responsible  official  of  the  organization  first  represented. 

e)  An  athlete  transferred  shall  not  be  eligible  to  compete 
in  Federation  championships  until  thirty  days  after  his 
transfer  has  been  accepted  by  the  organization  receiving 
him. 


VOLLEY-BALL 

This  game  ranks  high  with  physical  instructors  and  playground  leaders 
or  its  qualities  of  interest  and  physical  training.  It  develops  quickness  of 
action  without  being  over-strenuous. 

/)  An  athlete  transferred  a  second  time  shall  not  be 
eligible  to  compete  in  Federation  championships  until  six 
months  after  his  transfer. 

The  Federation  rules  also  provide  that  each 
organization  shall  control  its  own  athletes  and 
that  any  penalties  imposed  shall  be  honored  by  all 
other  organizations  in  the  Federation.  One  con- 
crete example  of  the  working  of  this  rule  will  serve 


io8  Recreation  and  the  Church 

to  show  its  value  and  to  illustrate  a  point  that  the 
churches  should  observe  when  putting  teams  into 
the  field  to  represent  them.  In  a  city  where  the 
public-school  boys  are  organized  into  clubs  frequent 
meets  are  held  with  much  rivalry  between  the 
different  schools.  It  is  a  rule  that  a  boy  must 
maintain  a  certain  standing  in  his  school  work  to 
be  eligible  for  competition  in  these  meets.  One 
boy  fell  below  standard  and  was  informed  by  his 
principal  that  he  could  not  represent  his  school  in 
the  meets  until  he  had  made  up  his  work.  He  was 
inclined  to  be  insubordinate  and  said  that  "if  he 
couldn't  run  for  his  school  he  would  run  against 
it,"  purposing  to  enter  the  next  open  meet  as  a 
representative  of  his  Sunday  school.  The  meet  in 
question,  however,  was  under  the  auspices  of  the 
Federation  of  that  city,  the  officers  of  which  were 
notified  of  his  intention.  On  the  day  of  the  meet 
the  lad  appeared,  ready  to  compete,  only  to  find 
himself  ruled  out.  It  was  a  hard  lesson,  but  a 
wholesome  one.  He  found  that  the  only  means  by 
which  he  could  get  back  into  the  sports  he  craved 
was  by  becoming  amenable  to  the  rules  of  his  school 
and  making  up  his  work. 

If  the  church  and  Sunday  school  are  to  get  any- 
thing like  the  full  moral  value  from  such  sports 
for  their  boys  and  young  men,  they  should  have 
definite  standards  by  which  to  decide  ehgibility 
to  represent  them,   and  these  should  be  rigidly 


The  REcitEATioNAL  Program  109 

maintained.  Such  standards  should  be  higher 
than  they  usually  are.  Too  often  they  consist  of 
nothing  more  than  membership  in  the  Sunday 
school,  meaning  principally  a  more  or  less  regular 
attendance.  As  a  result,  baseball  games  and  ath- 
letic meets  under  church  auspices  have  been  marred 
by  unsportsmanlike  conduct,  and  even  by  profanity 
and  similar  abuses.  The  public  schools  and  the 
Y.M.C.A.  have  learned  much  better  how  to  control 
the  personal  conduct  and  standing  of  their  athletes 
than  the  church  has,  simply  because  the  leaders  in 
church  athletics  have  not  realized  the  value  of  such 
regulations  and  of  co-operation  in  maintaining 
standards. 

§  3.      INDIVIDUAL  AND    TEAM   SCORING 

Also  important  in  the  conduct  of  athletic  sports 
is  the  development  of  loyalty  to  the  group  and  to 
the  church  or  school,  and  the  active  participation 
of  the  largest  possible  number  in  the  games.  A 
serious  evil  in  athletics,  as  sometimes  conducted,  is 
the  development  of  picked  teams  who  then  monopo- 
lize all  the  opportunities  for  practice,  while  the  rest 
become  mere  onlookers,  or,  at  best,  rooters.  The 
fellow  who  has  not  the  ability  to  make  the  first 
team  may  indeed  be  encouraged  to  play  on  the 
scrubs  so  as  to  give  the  first  team  practice  and 
thus  aid  them  to  victory.  But  the  lad  who 
can  make  neither  the  first  nor  the  second  team 


no  Recreation  and  the  Church 

has  no  incentive  and  gets  no  benefit  from  the 
sports. 

One  of  the  objects  stated  in  the  constitution  of 
the  Amateur  Athletic  Federation  is  to  place  "com- 
petitive play  activities  within  the  reach  of  the 
largest  number."  This  is  well  accomplished  by 
all-round  point  contests  in  which  every  member 
participating  may  score  a  certain  number  of  points, 
and  thus  add  to  the  total  score  of  his  team.  This 
distributes  the  incentive  and  helps  to  develop 
group-consciousness  and  loyalty.  The  system  of 
scoring  for  such  contests  is  based  upon  the  principle 
of  a  definite  percentage  value  for  all  degrees  of 
athletic  ability,  these  percentage  values  being  estab- 
lished by  translating  record  units  into  percentage 
units.  The  A  .L.N. A .  Handbook  ("  Spalding's  Ath- 
letic Library")  describes  in  detail  how  the  percent- 
ages are  worked  out,  and  also  gives  tables  for  scoring 
the  standard  athletic  events.  These  contests  may 
be  participated  in  by  any  number  of  organiza- 
tions, each  in  its  own  gymnasium,  according  to  the 
rules  laid  down  for  all,  the  scores  being  sent  to,  and 
compared  by,  a  central  committee.  Such  an  inter- 
national meet  was  held  in  December,  191 5,  com- 
prising organizations  in  all  parts  of  the  world. 

An  important  feature  of  these  team  contests  is 
that  every  participant  makes  some  score  and  thus 
adds  to  the  total  for  his  team.  This  encourages 
general  participation  instead  of  leaving  it  only  to 


The  Recreational  Program  m 

a  picked  team  of  a  few  best  athletes.  This  same 
feature  is  also  found  in  the  all-round  point  contests 
used  in  many  playgrounds.  It  is  thus  extended  to 
a  wider  range  of  activities,  as  in  the  Rochester 
playgrounds,  which  is  so  suggestive  as  to  merit  full 
description. 

In  the  contest  of  191 6  the  following  organized 
activities  were  included :  Boy  Scout  work,  banking, 
basketry  (or  paper  crepe  work),  dancing,  intra- 
playground  contests,  interplayground  contests, 
Playground  Pioneers  (or  Camp  Fire  Girls) ,  sewing, 
singing,  swimming,  weekly  athletic  contests,  work 
done  on  playground.  The  method  of  scoring  will 
be  illustrated  by  the  following  examples: 

Boy  Scout  work. — Each  boy  meeting  the  require- 
ments in  the  activities  named  receives  points  as 
indicated.  Learning  oath  and  law,  5  points;  knot- 
tying,  5  points;  marching  and  gymnastic  dancing, 
25  points;  signaling,  20  points;  first  aid,  25  points; 
cooking,  10  points;  respect  due  to  flag,  5  points; 
nature-study,  10  points;  fire-making,  5  points; 
participation  in  meetings,  5  points;  playground 
hikes,  5  points;  interplayground  hikes,  20  points; 
and  field  day,  10  points. 

Banking. — 2  points  for  every  five  cents  deposited 
up  to  two  dollars,  maximum  points  for  banking  80. 

Playground  Pioneers. — ^Each  girl  meeting  the  re- 
quirements receives  points  as  indicated:  physical 
tests,  25  points;  reciting  law  and  pledge,  15  points; 


112  Recreation  and  the  Church 

signaling,  40  points;  first  aid,  25  points;  knot- 
tying,  10  points;  cooking,  10  points;  home  occu- 
pations, 35  points. 

Sewing:  Neat  work,  5  points;  helping  other  chil- 
dren, 5  points;  not  losing  needles,  pins,  etc.,  5 
points;  finishing  a  costume  or  any  piece  of  work, 
8  points;  helping  to  put  things  in  order  after  class, 
2  points. 

In  the  playground  contests,  including  such  games 
as  quoits,  tennis,  and  miscellaneous  games,  5  points 
are  awarded  to  each  one  who  enters  the  contest  and 
plays  until  eliminated,  10  additional  points  to  the 
winner  in  the  finals,  and  5  to  the  loser  in  the  finals. 
In  interplayground  contests,  including  for  the  boys 
baseball,  tennis,  and  quoits,  and  for  the  girls  field 
hockey,  indoor  baseball,  volley-ball,  German  bat- 
ball,  end-ball,  and  playground-ball,  10  points  are 
awarded  to  each  one  taking  part  in  a  contest,  5 
additional  points  to  each  one  on  a  winning  team, 
and  5  to  each  "rooter"  who  goes  along  to  cheer  the 
team  and  who  conducts  himself  in  a  sportsmanlike 
manner. 

Additional  information  regarding  the  details  of 
these  contests  and  awards  may  be  secured  from 
Mr.  Herman  J.  Norton,  Board  of  Education, 
Rochester,  New  York. 

The  Playground  and  Recreation  Association  of 
America  has  adopted  certain  standards  of  physical 
efficiency  for  children  of  various  ages  and  furnishes 


The  Recreational  Program  113 

a  badge  for  each  of  the  various  tests  which  are 
awarded  by  the  director  of  the  local  playgroufid 
to  those  who  meet  the  requirements.  The  recrea- 
tion survey  of  Ipswich,  Massachusetts,  made  by 
the  department  of  recreation  of  the  Russell  Sage 
Foundation  and  entitled  Play  and  Recreation  in  a 
Town  of  Six  Thousand,  describes  in  an  appendix 
these  tests,  also  rules  for  various  group  competitions 
similar  to  those  above  mentioned.  The  following 
introductory  note  concerning  these  group  competi- 
tions is  worth  quoting: 

In  group  athletics  the  record  is  made  by  a  class,  club,  or 
any  convenient  group  of  boys  (or  girls).  The  object  is  not 
the  competition  of  selected  representatives,  but  the  partici- 
pation of  all  in  athletic  activity.  The  entire  membership  of 
the  group  should  be  required  to  take  part,  physical  incapaci- 
tation being  the  only  valid  excuse  for  non-participation. 
No  record  should  be  allowed  for  less  than  80  per  cent  of  the 
group  membership.  The  full  benefits  of  group  athletics 
come,  not  alone  from  the  final  competition,  but  also  from 
the  great  amount  of  preliminary  practice  within  the  group. 
In  this  way  the  physical  fitness  of  the  individual  is  developed 
and  the  spirit  of  teamwork  and  of  social  responsibility  is 
fostered.  It  should  be  arranged  that  the  competition  be 
between  groups  of  about  the  same  physical  ability.  It  should 
also  be  remembered  that  the  number  of  boys  in  the  group 
makes  no  dift'erence,  as  the  sum  of  individual  records  divided 
by  the  number  of  competitors  equals  the  group  record. 

A  trophy  in  the  form  of  a  pennant,  plaque,  or  cup 
awarded  to  the  winning  group  adds  interest  to  this  form  of 
athletics  and  stimulates  group  spirit.  This  trophy  should 
be  held  only  until  the  next  competition. 


114  Recreation  and  the  Church 

The  competition  may  be  in  one  or  more  events.  An 
alUaround  test  should  be  the  aim.  Almost  all  forms  of  track 
and  field  athletics  lend  themselves  easily  to  this  plan. 

Then  follow  typical  programs  and  suggestions  as 
to  rules  for  the  conduct  of  the  competitions. 

§  4.      THE   AWARD    OF   INSIGNIA 

A  helpful  stimulus  to  interest  and  also  an  aid  to 
the  maintaining  of  proper  standards  is  to  award 
to  those  who  meet  certain  requirements  the  privi- 
lege of  wearing  the  school  or  church  insignia, 
usually  an  initial  letter  or  monogram  to  be  worn 
on  gymnasium  shirt  or  sweater.  This  is  the  cus- 
tom in  most  of  our  schools  and  colleges,  in  which 
the  privilege  of  wearing  the  "letter"  is  highly 
coveted.  In  these  institutions  the  award  is  usually 
made  to  those  who  make  the  varsity  teams  and 
play  in  a  certain  number  of  games  or  win  certain 
events.  But  rules  may  be  worked  out  in  any 
church  that  will  place  the  insignia  within  reach 
of  all  who  reach  certain  individual  standards. 
The  following  are  the  requirements  at  the  Brick 
Church  of  Rochester,  New  York,  and  are  given  as 
suggestive.  They  may  be  modified  to  meet  local 
conditions  or  needs. 

Four  grades  of  letters  are  awarded :  the  first  and 
second  Junior  "B"  (a  block  letter  for  boys  under 
sixteen)  and  the  first  and  second  Senior  "B"  (Old 
English  letter  for  boys  over  sixteen).     The  first 


The  Recreational  Program     115 

and  second  letters  are  distinguished  by  their  size, 
the  first  "B"  in  each  class  being  awarded  for  par- 
ticipation in  inter-Sunday-school  activities,  and  the 
second  for  intra-Sunday-school  and  church  com- 
petitions. The  requirements  in  the  various  activ- 
ities are  as  follows:  basket-ball,  participation  in  at 
least  15  halves  of  10  games;  baseball,  participation 
in  at  least  50  innings  of  8  games;  track  athletics 
and  swimming,  winning  a  first  place  in  a  Sunday- 
school  athletic  league  or  athletic  federation  meet, 
or  a  total  of  at  least  10  points  in  one  season.  In 
order  to  compete  in  any  of  these  events  as  represent- 
ing the  church  the  boy  must  measure  up  to  certain 
satisfactory  standards  as  to  character,  school  mem- 
bership and  attendance,  and  clean  sport. 

The  results  of  this  plan  have  been  to  increase 
interest  in  the  athletic  sports,  and  to  engender  a 
wholesome  respect  for  the  standards  maintained 
by  the  church.  Failure  to  measure  up  to  them 
meets  with  quick  disapproval  on  the  part  of  the 
majority  of  the  young  people  as  well  as  of  the 
leaders. 


CHAPTER  V 
SOME  TYPICAL  CHURCH  PROGRAMS 

Concrete  examples  are  better  than  theories,  pro- 
viding they  illustrate  the  best  principles  that 
theory  can  work  out.  At  any  rate  they  help  to 
establish  the  theory  by  proving  the  practicability 
and  usefulness  of  the  scheme.  I  have  therefore 
selected  from  letters  received  from  various  churches 
some  illustrations  that  seem  typical  for  report  in 
this  chapter. 

I  The  correspondence  carried  on  with  pastors  in 
both  city  and  rural  districts  indicates  a  growing 
sense  of  the  vital  importance  of  recreation  in  reli- 
gious educational  work.  It  also  indicates  that 
comparatively  few  have  yet  realized  to  the  full  just 
how  important  this  branch  of  their  work  is,  and 
how  worthy  it  is  of  the  best  possible  leadership  and 
of  adequate  expenditures  of  money  and  effort.  It 
might  be  fairer  to  say  that  this  lack  of  recognition 
exists  not  so  much  in  the  minds  of  the  leaders  as 
in  the  thought  of  the  church  membership  at  large. 
As  the  work  of  many  churches  is  planned,  it  seems 
a  large  request  to  ask  for  the  employment  of  a 
trained  physical  director,  or  director  of  young 
people's  work,  who  shall  be  capable  of  doing  a 
really  scientific  and  adequate  work. 

ii6 


Some  Typical  Church  Programs       117 

There  are  many  churches  having  gymnasiums 
and  game-rooms  that  do  not  seem  to  have  pro- 
gressed much  beyond  the  stage  of  furnishing  amuse- 
ment and  useful  occupation  to  keep  boys  and  girls 
oflf  the  street.  This  is  good,  but  more  is  needed. 
We  need  a  clearer  recognition  of  the  direct  values 
of  recreational  work  in  the  formation  of  character, 
and  a  leadership  capable  of  studying  the  individual 
needs  and  characteristics,  and  of  properly  applying 
the  best  principles  and  methods  of  recreation  to 
bring  out  the  best  that  lies  in  each  young  life.  . 

There  has  been  no  attempt  to  classify  the 
examples  given  according  to  merit  or  importance, 
but  simply  to  give  enough  from  various  sections 
of  the  country  and  from  churches  of  varying  types 
to  indicate  what  is  being  done,  with  some  of  the 
results  that  have  been  achieved. 

§  I.     WINNETKA   CONGREGATIONAL  CHURCH,  OF 
WINNETKA,    ILLINOIS 

This  is  a  strong  church  in  a  suburban  community 
about  eighteen  miles  north  of  Chicago.  One  other 
Protestant  church,  the  Episcopalian,  exists  in  the 
town,  which  is  not  over-churched  and  weakened  in 
its  religious  resources.  The  congregation  consists 
for  the  most  part  of  well-educated,  cultured,  and 
energetic  people,  who  are  alert  to  the  opportunities 
for  real  service  and  willing  to  meet  their  responsi- 
bilities.    The  work  has  developed  for  years  under 


ii8  Recreation  and  the  Church 

the  leadership  of  Rev.  J.  W.  F.  Davies,  the  religious 
educational  director,  who  writes  as  follows  of  the 
recreational  work: 

In  the  beginning  I  carried  on  an  investigation  primarily 
among  the  boys  themselves,  finding  out  what  they  did  with 
their  leisure  time,  and  then  I  did  some  among  the  girls. 
Then  I  found  out  what  the  youngsters  were  doing  at  recess 
period,  and  found  need  of  supervision  here. 

Second,  I  found  that  it  was  very  hard  for  us  to  compete 
with  what  was  done  in  the  leisure  time  among  the  boys  and 
girls  in  the  way  of  developing  unmoral  character,  with  just 
the  Sunday-school  period. 

Third,  our  recreational  policy  is  to  find  the  thing  which 
would  be  of  most  advantage  to  the  boys  and  girls  in  their 
unoccupied  time.  We  do  not  beheve  in  duplication.  We 
happen  largely  to  control  the  situation  in  this  matter. 

Fourth,  our  recreational  program  is  worked  out  on  the 
basis  of  the  mass  and  small  group.  We  have  classes  in  the 
gymnasium  for  the  boys  and  girls,  and  for  men  and  women. 
We  have  opportunities  for  dancing  for  boys  and  girls  from 
five  years  of  age  and  up.  There  is  dancing  for  groups. 
We  have  social  groups  with  programs  suited  to  the  indi- 
vidual group.  We  have  now  in  the  public  schools  the 
supervised  playground  work. 

Fifth,  we  employ  directors  in  the  gymnasium  work  for 
the  boys  and  men,  and  for  the  girls  and  women.  We  are 
able  to  get  the  same  people  who  are  used  in  the  public 
schools.  The  largest  proportion  of  our  help  is  volunteer. 
A  large  number  of  these  helpers  are  coming  to  be  from  those 
who  have  taken  our  own  work,  and  who  have  been  with  us 
for  years. 

This  church  has  a  well-equipped  building,  called 
Community  House,  with  gymnasium,  clubrooms, 


Some  Typical  Church  Programs       119 

facilities  for  dramatics,  equipment  for  motion  pic- 
tures, and  other  recreational  activities.  For  ad- 
ministrative purposes  the  house  is  organized  with 
Mr.  Davies  as  director,  a  board  of  governors  which 
controls  general  policies,  and  a  house  committee 
which  carries  out  the  activities.  The  only  charge 
is  the  house  membership  of  two  dollars  a  year, 
which  includes  gymnasium  classes  and  club  mem- 
berships. 

The  gymnasium  class  program  shows  afternoon 
classes  for  boys  in  four  grades,  each  meeting  once 
a  week,  one  afternoon  and  two  evening  classes  for 
men,  three  afternoon  and  one  evening  class  for 
girls,  and  one  evening  class  for  young  ladies.  All 
gymnasium  work  is  organized  on  the  basis  of 
supervised  play,  the  public  schools  meeting  the 
need  for  systematic  drill. 

Other  items  included  in  the  schedule  are  after- 
noon graded  classes  in  dancing  for  children,  Satur- 
day evening  dances,  entertainments,  etc.,  tennis, 
baseball,  and  other  athletics  for  boys  and  men, 
clubs  for  boys  and  girls,  Boy  Scouts,  Camp  Fire 
Girls,  a  hikers'  club  for  Saturday  afternoon  walks 
for  men,  and  entertainments  of  various  types. 

A  regular  motion-picture  entertainment  is  given 
on  two  evenings  in  the  week,  showing  high-grade 
films,  and  charging  an  admission  fee  of  ten  cents. 
Motion  pictures  are  also  shown  at  the  Pleasant 
Sunday  Evening,  at  which  no  admission  is  charged ; 


I20  Recreation  and  the  Church 

religious  services  are  held,  and  films  are  selected 
for  their  appropriateness  to  the  occasion.  This 
feature  carries  its  own  expense,  and  has  met  the 
need  for  this  type  of  recreation  sufficiently  to  ob- 
viate the  necessity  for  other  motion-picture  theaters 
in  the  town. 

As  has  already  been  noted,  the  work  of  this 
church  has  developed  into  a  community-wide 
recreational  program  carried  out  by  a  board  repre- 
senting all  the  churches  and  other  social  and  educa- 
tional organizations,  employing  expert  leadership, 
and  having  at  its  disposal  all  the  various  recrea- 
tional facilities  of  the  community.  By  this  means 
a  program  has  been  worked  out  which  largely  solves 
the  problem  of  unoccupied  time  for  the  children  and 
young  people,  and  at  the  same  time  harmonizes  the 
legitimate  demands  of  home,  school,  and  church. 

Most  valuable  of  all  is  the  careful  and  system- 
atic supervision  of  the  work  of  the  director,  whose 
thorough  knowledge  and  sympathetic  appreciation 
of  individual  conditions,  characteristics,  and  tend- 
encies make  him  a  trusted  and  helpful  counselor 
and  friend. 

The  results,  as  observed  by  those  who  have 
known  the  work  for  years,  are  summed  up  in  the 
one  fact  that  the  church  is  the  dominant  factor  in 
the  social  and  recreational  life  of  the  town,  and  that 
the  principles  and  ideals  for  which  it  stands  are 
more  and  more  permeating  the  life  of  old  and  young. 


Some  Typical  Church  Programs       121 

§  2.     second  baptist  church  of  st.  louis, 
missouri 

Rev.  Albert  C.  Thomas,  director  of  religious 
education  and  assistant  minister,  writes  of  the  work 
of  this  church: 

All  the  educational  work  of  the  church  is  unified  under 
one  system  known  as  the  Church  School.  Various  groups 
of  pupils  in  this  school,  ranging  from  early  adolescence  to 
the  Brotherhood  and  the  Woman's  Society  for  adults,  are 
organized  for  fellowship,  service,  and  recreation.  In  most 
cases  a  class  or  group  of  classes  constitutes  the  nucleus  of 
such  organizations,  which  we  call  clubs.  This  seems  to  us 
superior  to  calling  them  organized  classes,  as  very  often 
there  are  those  who  need  the  work  of  a  club  who,  for  some 
reason  or  other,  cannot  be  associated  in  the  work  of  a  class. 
Each  of  these  groups  or  clubs  has  its  own  program,  which 
provides  for  recreational  needs  in  the  way  of  social  events, 
entertainments,  picnics,  outings,  etc.  This  work  is  super- 
vised by  officers  of  the  organizations,  under  adult  leadership 
when  necessary,  and  is  checked  up  by  the  director  of 
religious  education  of  the  church,  who  in  turn  reports  to  the 
board  of  education,  which  reports  back  to  the  church  itself. 

In  addition  to  these  "grade  clubs"  we  have  activity 
clubs,  which  federate  people  of  all  grades  and  ages  that  are 
interested  in  certain  lines  of  recreation.  Thus,  we  have 
our  athletic  association  with  teams  and  gymnasium  groups 
for  all  ages  and  aU  sports,  with  a  system  of  managers  and 
class  leaders.  Also  a  dramatic  club,  which  federates  all  the 
people  who  are  interested  in  dramatics.  This  club  presents 
plays  for  entertainment  and  social  events  as  well  as  plays 
for  religious  instruction  and  outside  benevolent  causes.  We 
have  a  musical  organization  with  orchestra,  boys'  glee  club, 
and  girls'  glee  club,  which  sometimes  combine  in  choruses. 


122  Recreation  and  the  Church 

Members  of  these  choruses  sing  solos,  duets,  quartettes,  as 
occasion  requires.  The  school  also  has  a  school  social 
committee  with  a  general  chairman  and  a  representative 
from  every  class  in  the  school.  This  committee  conducts 
events  for  the  entire  school  and  departmental  socials  for 
graded  groups.  Our  teachers'  association  conducts  a 
parents'  and  teachers'  social  annually. 

This  is  our  scheme  of  organization  for  recreational  work 
at  this  church.  We  endeavor  to  keep  in  mind  throughout 
all  of  it  a  twofold  object:  first,  the  provision  of  wholesome 
recreation  for  the  young  people  of  the  community  that  shall 
help  to  build  character;  and  second,  the  provision  of  good 
fellowship  and  esprit  de  corps  that  shall  make  our  regular 
religious  work  more  efficient. 

The  printed  literature  from  this  church  shows 
a  large  number  of  social  organizations  engaged  in 
work  that  is  recreational,  educational,  and  benevo- 
lent, and  a  varied  and  wholesome  round  of  activity 
along  athletic  lines. 

§  3.      KINGSHIGHWAY   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH   OF 
ST.    LOUIS,    MISSOURI 

This  church  conducts  a  schedule  of  gymnasium 
classes  for  all  ages  and  both  sexes,  the  gymnasium 
being  open  every  day  of  the  week.  Separate  days 
are  observed  for  boys  and  girls,  and  the  hours  are 
mutually  exclusive,  the  boys  not  being  allowed 
in  the  building  at  girls'  hours,  and  vice  versa. 
Special  times  are  set  aside  for  athletic  sports,  and 
numerous  teams  and  leagues  are  organized.  The 
Boy  Scouts,  Hearth  Fire  Girls,  a  variation  of  the 


Some  Typical  Church  Programs       123 

Camp  Fire  Girls,  the  Goodsonian  Literary  Society, 
meeting  once  a  week,  the  Kingshighway  Karol 
Klub,  a  musical  organization,  are  some  of  the  other 
organizations. 

The  Young  People's  Society  gives  an  annual 
play  of  which  much  is  made,  and  a  story  hour  for 
children  is  conducted  weekly  during  the  school 
year. 

§  4.     ST.  Paul's  methodist  episcopal  church 

OF   CEDAR   RAPIDS,    IOWA 

This  church  has  a  membership  of  about  twelve 
hundred  and  a  Sunday-school  membership  of  about 
the  same  size ;  it  is  situated  in  a  city  of  40,000  popu- 
lation, the  parish  being  partly  residential,  partly 
industrial.  A  new  building  was  dedicated  in  1914, 
having  been  built  after  plans  which  were  chosen 
out  of  twelve  submitted  by  architects  from  all  parts 
of  the  country.  The  building  committee  spent 
nearly  four  years  in  studying  the  problem  of  secur- 
ing plans  that  should  adequately  provide  for  the 
Sunday  school  of  the  church  and  for  the  various 
social  and  recreational  needs.  This  method  is 
cited  as  a  worthy  example  of  a  serious  and  thorough- 
going attempt  to  solve  an  important  problem. 

The  gymnasium  is  open  every  week  day  from 
four  until  ten  o'clock,  with  a  schedule  of  gymnasium 
classes  and  athletic  sports  under  competent  super- 
vision.    The  Ep worth  League  holds  an  ''  At  Home  " 


124  Recreation  and  the  Church 

every  week,  and  there  are  many  social  occasions 
conducted  by  the  organized  classes  of  the  school. 

Of  the  results  the  pastor,  Rev.  E.  J.  Lockwood, 
writes : 

The  gymnasium  and  social  work  has  enlisted  many 
families  out  of  touch  with  the  church  before  we  went  into 
the  new  building,  and  has  resulted  in  restoring  many  to  their 
church  life  and  in  bringing  many  into  a  Christian  life  and 
fellowship  never  before  known  by  them.  The  outcome  of 
a  year  and  a  half  in  this  church  with  these  facilities  has 
been  a  great  spiritual  quickening  of  the  entire  church. 

The  church  fails  of  its  fullest  and  best  work  if  it  fails 
to  be  interested  in  the  whole  life  of  the  man  from  childhood 
to  old  age. 

§  5.      PLYMOUTH   CONGREGATIONAL   CHURCH   OF 
OAKLAND,    CALIFORNIA 

Oakland  is  a  city  of  225,000  population.  The 
church  membership  and  Sunday-school  member- 
ship are  each  about  eight  hundred.  It  is  in  a  resi- 
dential and  mostly  well-to-do  district  with  a  fair 
proportion  of  needy  families.  A  parish  house, 
called  Plymouth  Center,  is  in  operation  every  day 
as  a  "social  center  for  all  the  people."  Its  equip- 
ment includes  a  well-furnished  gymnasium  in  the 
charge  of  trained  directors,  bowling  alleys,  pocket- 
billiard  tables,  together  with  cue-roque,  shuffle- 
board,  and  smaller  table  games,  a  circulating  library, 
and  a  reading-room.  The  gymnasium  contains  a 
stage  providing  for  dramatic  entertainments.    This 


Some  Typical  Church  Programs       125 

gymnasium  is  also  used  by  the  high  schools  two 
afternoons  a  week. 

The  schedule  of  activities  includes  gymnasium 
classes  and  clubs  for  boys  and  girls,  men  and 
women,  and  a  full  line  of  athletic  contests  in  all 
the  popular  sports.  The  Civic  Forum,  lecture 
course,  and  entertainment  couVse  provide  recrea- 
tion of  a  type  both  entertaining  and  instructive. 

The  pastor,  Rev.  Albert  W.  Palmer,  lists  the 
following  results  discernible: 

1.  We  have  kept  saloons  out  of  our  part  of  the  city  both 
by  fighting  all  applications  and  by  providing  something 
better. 

2.  We  have  a  remarkably  high  percentage  of  young 
people,  especially  young  men,  in  our  C.E.  societies  and 
church  services. 

3.  The  neighborhood  attitude  toward  the  church  has 
changed  from  one  of  indifference  to  one  of  hearty  approval 
even  by  people  of  other  denominations  or  of  none. 

Such  work  links  up  the  church  to  its  immediate  com- 
munity. The  church  which  studies  its  community  needs 
and  then  serves  those  needs  intelligently  will  be  loved  and 
will  speak  with  authority.  The  concrete,  practical  service 
is  not  a  substitute  for  a  spiritual  message,  but  it  does 
accredit  that  message  to  the  prejudiced  and  indifferent. 

§  6.      FORT   STREET   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH   OF 
DETROIT,    MICHIGAN 

The  pastor,  Rev.  Edward  H.  Pence,  of  this  the 
only  strictly  downtown  church  left  in  the  city, 
writes : 

During  the  past  sixteen  years  we  have  undergone  an 
entire  revolution  of  objectives  for  our  existence  and  con- 


126  Recreation  and  the  Church 

tinuance  where  we  are.  The  Bible  School  has  grown  from 
an  enrolment  of  about  three  hundred,  fifteen  years  ago,  to 
something  over  a  thousand  now.  The  Church  has  accumu- 
lated an  endowment  of  about  $130,000  with  prospects  of  a 
further  specially  defined  endowment  of  about  a  quarter  of 
a  million.  This  latter  comes  under  a  will  making  us 
residuary  legatees  to  a  widow,  the  income  being  defined 
for  maintenance  of  the  Fort  Street  Presbyterian  Sunday 
School,  its  charitable,  missionary,  and  benevolent  work. 
This  means  practically  for  the  benefit  of  the  youth  of  the 
parish, 

A  large  and  amply  equipped  Church  House  has  been  built. 
We  have  maintained  an  athletic  field  during  the  past  seven 
years,  although  not  owning  it. 

The  church  maintains  regular  scheduled  gym- 
nasium classes  during  the  fall,  winter,  and  early 
spring  months  with  a  trained  physical  director  in 
charge.  Groups  of  men  use  the  gymnasium  daily 
at  the  noon  hour  for  indoor  baseball,  lunch  being 
prepared  in  the  church  kitchen.  During  the  sum- 
mer a  schedule  of  outdoor  sports  is  carried  out  on 
the  athletic  field. 

A  summer  camp  is  conducted  during  the  summer 
months  on  Watkins  Lake,  near  Pontiac,  Michigan. 
This  camp  is  supervised  by  an  expert  director,  and 
is  open  to  boys  of  ten  years  of  age  and  over  and  to 
girls  of  fourteen  and  over  at  a  cost  of  one  dollar  for 
registration  fee.  The  program  for  July,  191 5,  was 
as  follows:  first  week,  "Volunteers"  or  boys  ten 
to  fourteen  years  of  age;  second  week,  Boy  Scouts; 
third  week,  "Defenders"  or  boys  fifteen  years  of 


Some  Typical  Church  Programs       127 

age  and  over;  fourth  week,  young  women  and  girls, 
with  the  announcement  of  another  week  for  girls 
if  enough  should  register.  The  schedule  of  camp 
activities  occupies  the  time  thoroughly  from  the 
rising-hour  to  bedtime  with  games,  hikes,  swim- 
ming, athletic  meets,  religious  services,  and  the  like, 
in  the  manner  of  the  best  organized  camps.  A 
genuinely  religious  atmosphere  pervades  the  camp, 
resulting  in  the  bringing  into  the  Christian  life  and 
church  membership  of  about  sixty  boys  and  girls. 
A  daily  tent  inspection  helps  to  inculcate  habits 
of  order  and  neatness.  About  one  hundred  and 
fifty  boys  and  girls  took  advantage  of  this  oppor- 
tunity for  an  outing  during  the  year  named. 

A  daily  vacation  Bible  school  is  conducted  during 
the  summer  with  recreational  activities  and  instruc- 
tion in  various  useful  pursuits. 

§  7.      ASHLAND   AVENUE   BAPTIST   CHURCH    OF 
TOLEDO,    OHIO 

This  church  has  a  membership  of  867  in  a  city 
of  200,000  population.  It  is  in  a  residential  district 
of  well-to-do  and  middle-class  people.  It  has  a 
gymnasium  open  two  nights  a  week,  and  also  holds 
basket-ball  games  for  the  boys  in  the  high-school 
gymnasium.  Other  features  are  two  troops  of 
Boy  Scouts,  an  "Open  House"  for  men  once  a 
month,  social  gatherings  in  the  church  and  "At 
Homes"    at   least   once   a   week   and   sometimes 


128  Recreation  and  the  Church 

oftener,  a  camera  club  and  tennis  club  during  the 
summer,  and  various  athletic  sports  in  co-operation 
with  the  Y.M.C.A.,  Y.W.C.A.,  and  physical  depart- 
ment of  the  county  Sunday  School  Association. 

The  special  equipment  comprises  social  rooms 
with  kitchen  and  dining-room,  boys'  clubrooms 
with  game  tables,  a  well-equipped  gymnasium, 
library,  and  rest-room,  and  a  dark-room  for  the 
camera  club. 

The  educational  director.  Rev.  Charles  W.  Shinn, 
reports  the  following  results: 

Increased  regularity  in  Sunday-school  attendance,  hon- 
esty in  play,  and  many  additions  to  the  church.  Has  given 
me  a  hold  on  the  young  people  as  a  result  of  which  I  have 
eighty  of  them  in  training  classes.  Seventy-five  per  cent 
of  our  young  people  are  members  of  the  church.  This 
work  is  religious  and  stimulates  interest  in  all  the  church 
activities.  It  makes  a  point  of  contact  and  binds  the  home 
to  the  church. 

§  8.   BRICK  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  OF 
ROCHESTER,  NEW  YORK 

Rochester  is  a  city  of  about  250,000,  rapidly  ex- 
tending into  the  outlying  districts.  Brick  Church 
is  one  of  several  downtown  churches,  its  parish 
covering  the  entire  city,  and  the  large  majority  of 
its  membership  living  at  some  distance  from  the 
church.  Eighteen  years  ago  the  church  purchased 
the  property  adjoining  the  building,  on  which  there 
was  an  old  residence.     Various  forms  of  institu- 


Some  Typical  Church  Programs       129 


130  Recreation  and  the  Church 

tional  work  were  begun  here,  especially  a  boys' 
evening  club,  this  part  of  the  work  being  given  the 
name  of  the  Brick  Church  Institute.  Six  years 
ago  a  new  building  was  erected  for  the  Institute 
work,  with  gymnasium,  swimming-pool,  bowling 
alleys,  billiard-room,  assembly  halls,  and  club- 
rooms,  and  on  the  two  upper  floors  dormitories 
for  eighty  men.  The  plans  of  this  building  are 
described  on  pages  92-96  of  Evans,  The  Sunday 
School  Building  and  Its  Equipment,  published  by 
the  University  of  Chicago  Press  in  the  same  series 
with  this  volume. 

The  staff  consists  of  the  superintendent  of  the 
Institute,  who  is  also  director  of  religious  edu- 
cation of  the  church,  a  director  of  boys'  work,  a 
director  of  girls'  work,  a  housekeeper,  and  the 
necessary  force  of  office  clerks,  swimming  in- 
structor, gymnasium  assistants,  and  janitors  and 
chambermaids. 

The  work  has  been  conducted  in  the  closest  pos- 
sible harmony  with  that  of  the  church  and  Sunday 
school,  the  aim  being  to  make  all  the  social  and 
recreational  work  contribute  as  directly  as  possible 
to  the  development  of  Christian  character.  Owing 
to  the  nature  of  the  parish,  the  social  and  recrea- 
tional work  has  fallen  into  two  fairly  well-defined 
divisions:  the  ministry  to  the  members  of  the 
church  and  Sunday  school,  and  the  service  to  the 
more  immediate   neighborhood   in  the   center  of 


Some  Typical  Church  Programs       131 

the  city.  The  afternoon  classes  for  boys  and  the 
men's  classes  draw  their  members  mostly  from  the 
former  and  the  evening  classes  from  the  latter  group. 

The  gymnasium  is  open  every  day,  the  schedule 
providing  twice  a  week  for  each  group  being 
shown  on  p.  132. 

During  the  last  year  two  other  classes  were 
added,  one  for  high-school  boys  and  the  other  for 
a  younger  group  in  the  Boys'  Club.  Many  of  the 
vacant  periods  in  the  accompanying  schedule  are 
taken  up  with  athletic  contests  and  games.  All 
athletic  contests,  both  indoor  and  outdoor,  are  con- 
ducted in  accordance  with  the  Amateur  Athletic 
Federation  rules,  and  insignia  are  awarded  as 
described  in  §§  3  and  4  of  chapter  iv. 

Instruction  in  swimming  is  given  by  a  competent 
teacher  and  hundreds  have  been  taught  to  swim 
here.  This  has  proved  a  most  valuable  service  in 
several  cases  of  accident  when  swimmers  taught  in 
this  pool  have  saved  themselves  and  others. 

A  general  membership  of  one  dollar  a  year 
entitles  the  holder  to  all  general  house  privileges. 
Gymnasium  and  swimming  tickets  range  in  price 
from  one  dollar  to  five  dollars  a  year.  In  the  clubs 
for  boys  and  girls  the  membership  fee  is  nominal 
and  adapted  to  the  financial  ability  of  the  indi- 
vidual. It  is  the  object  to  have  each  one  pay 
something  toward  the  cost  of  the  privileges  he 
enjoys  without  making  any  fee  prohibitive. 


132 


Recreation  and  the  Church 


cS 

m 

11 

n 

u3 

a 
1 

bo 

§ 

o 

.2  w 

c 

3  i/i 

OS 

^1 

3  ni 
"1 

>> 

1 

J3 

H 

1 

3 

OE 
O 

3 

B 
o 

3 

;2 

■a 

c 

•a 

be  e 
."2  3 

^& 

pa 

o 

Is 

c 
IS 

a 

3 

o 

XI 
3 

H 

c 

£  T 

2     M 

■^  o 

c 

1 

XI 
(J  0) 

X! 

^  in 

OS 

XI  £ 
UX 

o  u 

1 

o 
IS 

3 

o 

X 

3 

u 

o 

o 

0 

b 

** 

a  r: 

8 

o 

"5 

8 

i^ 

o 

Tf 

0 
00 

0)  c 

"Si  ^ 

■Se 
2.S 


E"! 

ts 

'^  >.« 

SES 

■«  cna 

a^S 

!«-0   in 

"  6"c 

r  t 

-^  =*  s 

V   3 

5c-S 

p-S 

«     -0, 

Su 

E  « 

2e 

aE 

E   g  c      .E., 


5  ^ 

^■013 

-a  p  tfl 

^     S 

f  " 

E-^E 

3*j  O 

1^^ 

■5  c 

O   1) 

o  a 

i*  ^ 

iP-rt 

X  ii 

o^J^- 

trt,„ 

•W  Sj3 

-o3 

^s'^ 

s< 

^^s 

Ui 

(li>-'3 

X!  i" 

1  ^S 

^SS^ 

s  o  E 

■s:5  g 

e-o  S 

C^Q3 

s  c 

■p8^ 

gi^S 

■SE£ 

5;  ta  ts 

g 

-Si 

p^ 

Oh 

O 

Some  Typical  Church  Programs       133 

The  boys'  and  girls'  clubs  provide  a  program  of 
games,  entertainments,  instruction  in  various  use- 
ful arts,  and  benevolent  activities.  Instruction  is 
given  to  the  girls  in  dancing  and  deportment,  and 
on  Saturday  evenings  a  dance  is  held,  supervised 
by  the  committee  of  the  young  people  and  by  a 
corps  of  experienced  and  conscientious  volunteer 
chaperons.  This  has  proven,  not  only  a  popular 
recreational  feature,  but  a  source  of  helpful  moral 
and  religious  training. 

There  are  two  troops  of  Boy  Scouts  and  two 
Camp  Fires  for  girls.  The  building  afifords  oppor- 
tunity for  social  gathering  on  the  part  of  the 
Sunday-school  classes,  many  teachers  who  could 
not  meet  their  classes  at  home  finding  every  facility 
here.  The  Boys'  Sunday-School  Council,  com- 
prised of  representatives  from  each  organized  boys' 
class  of  twelve  years  of  age  and  over,  promotes 
many  social,  physical,  and  religious  activities. 

Some  additional  organizations  are  a  camera  club, 
with  dark-room  and  equipment,  a  wireless  club,  a 
stamp  club,  and  others.' 

During  the  summer  a  vacation  school  is  con- 
ducted with  expert  teachers,  both  employed  and 
volunteer.  This  includes  games,  athletics,  out- 
door hikes,  nature-study,  instruction  in  useful  arts, 
especially  such  as  increase  interest  in  the  home, 
and  in  moral  and  religious  instruction. 


134  Recreation  and  the  Church 

Summer  camps  are  provided  partly  in  co- 
operation with  the  Y.M.C.A.  and  Y.W.C.A.  and 
partly  independent,  the  Scouts  having  a  two  weeks' 
camp  of  their  own. 

Concerning  the  effect  of  this  work  in  the  life  of 
the  church,  the  pastor.  Rev.  William  R.  Taylor, 
D.D.,  writes: 

Our  recreational  work  has  not  lured  the  irreligious  into 
our  church.  We  did  not  expect  that  it  would.  "In  vain 
is  the  net  spread  in  the  sight  of  any  bird." 

But  it  has  brought  rich  reward  in  other  ways— tens  of 
thousands  of  hours  of  boy-  and  girl-time  that  might  have 
been  dangerous  made  safe;  honor,  cleanness,  and  self- 
control  developed  in  sport  for  use  in  the  more  serious  busi- 
ness of  life;  opportunities  for  teaching  manners  that  are 
an  aid  to  morals;  healthier,  stronger,  lither,  more  efficient, 
purer  bodies ;  drudgery  and  loneliness  relieved  by  the  joy  of 
play  and  companionship;  strong  friendships  formed  between 
fellow-members;  increased  interest  in,  and  devotion  to, 
the  church  and  Sunday  school,  and,  perhaps  best  of  all,  a 
field  for  service  in  which  a  constant  supply  of  trained  leaders 
is  bemg  raised  up. 

The  work  is  not  evangelistic;  some  would  not  even  call 
it  "spiritual."  But  it  makes  for  Christian  character,  and 
is  therefore  regarded  by  us  as  a  substantial  aid  to  the 
preaching  and  teaching  of  the  gospel  which  is  the  Church's 
supreme  task. 

§  9.      FIRST   BAPTIST   CHURCH   OF  PITTSBURGH, 
PENNSYLVANIA 

This  church  is  co-operating  actively  with  the 
Pittsburgh    Playground    Association,    one    of    its 


Some  Typical  Church  Programs       135 

workers  having  had  a  large  share  in  initiating  that 
movement.  It  has  helped  to  promote  the  use  of 
the  larger  parks,  small  breathing-spots,  swimming- 
pools,  ball  grounds,  etc.,  all  under  competent 
supervision. 

The  individual  church  work  includes  a  full 
schedule  of  gymnasium  classes  and  athletic  sports 
under  the  leadership  of  a  trained  director  at  a 
salary  of  fifteen  hundred  dollars,  whose  wife  also 
gives  much  of  her  time  as  chaperon,  pianist,  and 
in  similar  services.  The  work  is  graded  and  con- 
ducted on  much  the  same  lines  as  the  Y.M.C.A. 
This  work  is  carried  on  as  a  piece  of  community 
service  independent  of  any  sectarian  bias. 

A  summer  camp  is  maintained  with  a  superin- 
tendent, physician,  and  an  adult  leader  for  each 
group  of  eight.  The  campers  are  taken  in  squads 
of  from  forty  to  sixty  of  uniform  age  and  sex. 
This  camp  is  known  as  Camp  Myler  and  is  located 
on  a  branch  of  the  Juniata  River  in  the  mountains 
near  Huntingdon,  Pennsylvania. 

The  pastor,  Rev.  Frederic  Tower  Galpin,  D.D., 
writes : 

Delinquencies  of  various  kinds  are  prevented  by  such 
work  as  we  are  conducting.  The  effort  is  to  democratize. 
We  have  boys  from  wealthy  families  and  poor  boys.  When 
they  are  in  uniform  athletic  garb  the  test  is  not  a  social,  but 
a  physical  one.  They  are  on  a  common  platform  and  special 
privilege  is  absent. 


136  ■         Recreation  and  the  Church 

§  10.     first  church  of  christ,  center  congre- 
gational of  hartford,  connecticut 

Center  Church  House  is  the  parish  house  of  this 
church  and  conducts  an  extensive  program  of 
activities,  of  which  a  large  proportion  are  social 
and  recreational.  The  activities  of  the  organized 
Sunday-school  classes,  Boy  Scouts,  and  Knights 
of  King  Arthur  show  a  valuable  mingling  of  recrea- 
tional and  educational  features.  ^ 

In  Warburton  Chapel,  also  maintained  by  the 
church,  work  for  boys  and  young  men  is  carried  on 
through  the  athletic  club,  gymnasium  classes,  Boy 
Scouts,  and  the  Junior  Abraham  Lincoln  Club. 
Similar  work  with  many  educational  features  is 
done  for  girls  and  young  women.  A  story-hour 
and  Loyal  Legion  are  conducted  for  younger  boys 
and  girls,  and  fresh-air  outings  are  conducted  dur- 
ing the  summer. 

Center  Church  Camp,  located  on  Lake  Colum- 
bia, twenty-five  miles  east  of  Hartford,  has  been 
managed  for  six  years  by  the  Boys'  Work  Com- 
mittee of  the  church.  A  director  is  in  charge  with 
leaders  for  each  group.  A  girls'  camp  is  also  main- 
tained at  the  same  place. 

Rev.  Rockwell  Harmon  Potter,  D.D.,  pastor  of 
Center  Church,  writes: 

We  feel  that  the  camp  is  a  particularly  valuable  me?ans  of 
getting  religious  educational  results  through  a  recreational 
method.     The  opportunity  of  the  directors  in  both  camps 


Some  Typical  Church  Programs       137 

to  come  into  close  touch  with  the  campers  has  been  used  very 
effectively,  and  has  contributed  much  to  the  vitality  of  our 
young  people's  work  in  the  church. 

I  also  feel  that  dramatic  entertainments  provide  a  most 
valuable  means  of  getting  educational  results  through  a 
means  that  has  a  good  deal  of  recreation  in  it  for  young 


VOLLEY-BALL  IN    l  WW 

Scene  in  a  championship  game  at  Camp  lola,  the  Boys'  Camp  of  the 
Rochester  Y.M.C.A.  at  Canandaigua  Lake,  New  York.  V'oUey-ball  is  a  good 
outdoor  game  as  well  as  in  the  gymnasium. 


people  who  are  engaged  in  factory  or  office.  Missionary 
plays  have  been  given  which  impart  a  great  deal  of  valuable 
missionary  information  to  many  who  could  not  be  induced 
to  enter  mission-study  classes.  Such  a  biblical  play  as 
van  Dyke's  House  of  Rimnion  was  most  useful  in  giving 
biblical  information.  Trask's  In  the  Vanguard,  a  peace 
play,  and  van  Dyke's  The  Other  Wise  Man  have  also  been 
given  with  good  results. 


138  Recreation  and  the  Church 

§  ii.    first  baptist  church  of  poughkeepsie, 

NEW   YORK 

This  is  a  church  in  a  small  town  of  32,000  and 
with  a  membership  of  500.  The  parish  comprises 
residential,  boarding-house,  and  office  districts. 

The  organized  work  includes  Boy  Scouts,  Camp 
Fire  Girls,  Men's  Brotherhood,  Junior  Choir, 
Adult  Choir,  and  similar  groups.  A  Church  Tues- 
day afternoon  and  evening  is  a  feature  of  the  work, 
with  supper  and  early-evening  group  meetings  of 
various  types.  At  eight  o'clock  all  come  together 
for  entertainment,  concert,  motion  pictures,  lecture, 
or  some  form  of  social  gathering. 

The  equipment  includes  pla>Tooms,  social  par- 
lors, an  elaborate  motion-picture  apparatus,  and 
constantly  increasing  material  for  pageants,  dramas, 
entertainments,  and  the  like.  Dramatic  entertain- 
ments have  been  used  extensively  both  for  recrea- 
tional and  for  educational  purposes. 

The  pastor.  Rev.  Franklin  D.  Elmer,  reports 
good  results  from  all  these  features,  which  help  in 
bringing  boys  and  girls  into  church  membership 
and  active  service. 

§  12.      SECOND   CONGREGATIONAL   CHURCH   OF 
GREENFIELD,   MASSACHUSETTS 

This  is  another  small-town  church  in  a  city  of 
about  14,000,  with  a  parish  house  conducted  upon 
a  plan  that  makes  it  useful  to  a  very  large  propor- 
tion of  the  entire  congregation  and  community.     It 


Some  Typical  Church  Programs       139 

is  equipped  for  basket-ball,  volley-ball,  indoor 
baseball,  and  similar  games.  In  the  clubrooms 
various  kinds  of  table  games  are  provided,  and  on 
the  lower  floor  a  squash  tennis  court  and  four 
pocket-billiard  tables. 

Maintenance  is  provided  through  the  Parish 
House  Association  memberships  at  the  rate  of 
live  dollars  a  year  for  family  memberships,  two 
and  a  half  dollars  for  individuals,  and  ten  dollars 
a  year  for  a  sustaining  membership  which  may 
be  either  family  or  individual.  The  Parish  House 
increased  the  church  budget  by  one-third,  but 
induced  enough  additional  interest  to  change  a 
chronic  deficit  into  a  balance  on  the  credit  side. 

Rev.  Charles  W.  Merriam,  the  former  pastor, 
now  at  Grand  Rapids,  Michigan,  writes  in  terms  of 
heartiest  appreciation  of  the  results  of  this  work 
in  increasing  attendance  at  church  and  Sunday 
school,  the  percentage  of  losses  in  the  latter  being 
cut  50  per  cent,  and  the  church  membership  in- 
creasing 250  per  cent. 

The  next  two  examples  are  of  churches  in  rural 
communities  and  each  illustrates  something  of 
what  may  be  done  there. 

§  13.      SOMONAUK    UNITED    PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH 
OF    SANDWICH,    ILLINOIS 

This  church  is  situated  in  the  open  country  five 
miles  from  the  nearest  railway  station.  It  is  a 
farming   community,    about   one-half   the   people 


I40  Recreation  and  the  Church 

owning  the  farms  they  occupy,  the  rest  being  ten- 
ants. The  district  was  originally  settled  by  Scotch 
people  from  New  York  state,  who  brought  the 
church  with  them.  They  are  strict,  reverent  Bible 
students.  With  the  deaths,  removals,  and  changes 
of  three-quarters  of  a  century  many  people  came 
in  who  held  more  liberal  views  as  to  religious  mat- 
ters. While  good  people,  they  did  not  afhliate 
readily  with  the  old  remnant,  and  the  task  of  the 
church  at  present  is  the  bringing  together  of  these 
two  types. 

The  equipment  is  rather  meager,  the  usual  type 
of  country-church  ,  building,  but  the  church  has 
its  face  set  toward  better  provisions  for  a  com- 
munity work.  Meanwhile  a  great  deal  has  been 
done  with  a  very  little. 

A  prominent  feature  of  the  social  and  recrea- 
tional work  has  been  the  successful  observance  of 
all  national  holidays,  Fourth  of  July,  Thanks- 
giving, Memorial  Day,  and  the  like.  These  are 
community  affairs  and  pack  the  church  with  people 
from  the  entire  community.  The  Fourth  of  July 
observance  of  19 15  drew  an  attendance  of  four 
thousand,  with  sports  and  games  held  on  the 
church  lawn  and  in  an  adjoining  field,  and  exercises 
appropriate  to  the  occasion. 

There  are  numerous  other  social  gatherings  for 
men  and  women  and  young  people.  Of  the  results 
the  pastor,  Rev.  John,  Acheson,  writes: 


Some  Typical  Church  Programs       141 


s  -^ 


142        ,  Recreation  and  the  Church 

The  community  has  been  unified.  For  many  miles  in 
every  direction  the  people  point  to  our  church  as  the  center 
and,  best  of  all,  many  have  been  saved  and  have  united 
with  the  church.  Our  aim  is  to  save  men  and  before  they 
can  be  saved  they  must  be  interested.  All  things  to  all  men 
is  the  old,  old  plan. 

§  14.       FIRST   BAPTIST   CHURCH   OF   PLEASANT   LAKE, 
INDIANA 

The  work  of  this  church  is  thus  described  in  the 
letter  from  the  pastor.  Rev.  Waif  red  Lindstrom: 

We  are  trying  to  solve  the  so-called  rural  problem. 
After  years  of  study  and  experience,  I  am  convinced  that 
the  church  should  be  made  the  center  of  community  life, 
that  it  should  be  the  most  vital  thing  in  that  life.  In  order 
to  do  this,  the  church  should  not  only  provide  for  the 
religious,  but  also  the  moral  and  the  social  life  of  the  people. 

During  our  busy  season,  which  with  us  is  from  September 
to  May,  our  church  is  open  practically  every  night  in  the 
week.  Much  of  the  recreational  work  is  cared  for  by  the 
various  organizations  of  the  church.  We  have,  for  instance, 
a  very  successful  Brotherhood  which  is  both  educational 
and  social.  It  meets  twice  a  month  during  our  busy  season, 
for  lectures,  entertainments,  and  religious  services.  Special 
nights  are  held  such  as  an  annual  ladies'  night,  farmers' 
night,  hunters'  night,  etc.  At  the  last  hunters'  night,  held 
in  the  basement  of  the  church,  the  room  was  decorated  with 
buck  heads,  stufted  birds,  wolf  skins,  firearms  and  pictures 
of  hunting  scenes,  making  a  regular  hunter's  lodge  of  it. 
Refreshments  are  served  i)i  connection  with  these  meetings. 

Our  boys'  club  carries  on  the  general  work  usual  in  such 
organizations.  In  leaving  the  church  one  night  after  a 
boys' meeting,  one  of  them  said:   "Gee!  if  I  had  something 


Some  Typical  Church  Programs        143 

to  eat  I'd  stay  all  night."  It  is  worth  while  to  make  the 
boy  feel  that  he  can  have  a  good  time  in  the  right  way,  and 
in  the  church.  I  take  the  boys  on  hikes  and  for  an  annual 
encampment. 

For  our  young  men  we  have  an  athletic  association.  Our 
apparatus  is  not  fancy,  but  we  have  a  horse,  parallel  bars, 
jumping  standards,  all  made  by  the  pastor's  own  hands;  a 
tumbling  mat,  and  twenty  pairs  of  dumb-bells. 


OFF  FOR  A  HIKE 

A  leader  and  four  boys  starting  for  a  three  days'  hike  during  a  summer 
encampment.  A  good  test  of  endurance  both  physical  and  moral.  Boys 
should  be  in  good  physical  condition  before  undertaking  a  long  hike. 

The  women  are  organized  for  the  usual  line  of  women's 
work.  The  Camp  Fire  Girls  is  another  of  our  organizations. 
There  are  class  parties,  house  parties,  hayrack  rides,  bob- 
sled rides,  marshmallow,  sausage,  and  corn  roasts.  We  aim 
to  have  at  least  one  social  meeting  a  month  for  the  young 
people  beside  these  other  activities.  We  do  not  believe 
in  preaching  to  our  young  people,  don't  do  this  or  don't  do 
that,  but,  rather,  come  and  enjoy  what  we  have  provided. 


144  Recreation  and  the  Church 

The  results  of  this  work  are  certainly  splendid.  Men  are 
coming  to  our  Brotherhood  who  have  not  been  in  the  church 
for  years,  and  many  of  them  have  joined  the  church.  Last 
Hallowe'en  we  had  a  party  in  our  church  basement.  A 
public  dance  was  on  in  town  the  same  night.  The  boys  had 
to  import  girls  from  neighboring  towns  to  have  dancing 
partners,  and  at  nine-thirty  many  of  the  boys  came  down 
to  our  social,  leaving  the  dance. 

Our  church  is  wide-awake  and  very  much  alive.  The 
opportunities  are  wonderful  and  there  is  certainly  a  great 
field  for  such  work. 

These  examples  culled  from  a  considerable 
amount  of  correspondence  will  serve  to  indicate 
that  the  suggestions  and  contentions  of  this  volume 
are  by  no  means  pure  theorizing,  and  that  many  of 
the  principles  for  which  we  contend  are  already  in 
process  of  being  realized  in  actual  practice.  May 
the  good  work  go  on. 


CHAPTER  VI 

EQUIPMENT  AND  ORGANIZATION 
§  I.      BUILDING   AND   EQUIPMENT 

One  of  the  stumbling-blocks  that  exists  in  the 
minds  of  many  when  adequate  recreational  work 
is  proposed  is  the  idea  that  it  requires  a  large 
amount  of  complex  equipment.  Such  is  not  the 
case.  It  is  true  that  suitable  rooms  or  a  special 
building  and  a  certain  amount  of  equipment  are 
highly  desirable  and  enable  the  church  to  do  more 
than  might  be  possible  without  them.  But  a  great 
deal  is  being  done  by  churches  which  have  the 
vision  with  a  very  small  amount  of  equipment  and 
with  quite  limited  quarters.  The  writer  recalls 
one  church  which  had  not  even  adequate  Sunday- 
school  rooms,  only  a  chapel  adjoining  the  church, 
which  had  formerly  served  as  the  church  building. 
In  this  building  there  were  only  two  rooms,  the 
large  room  in  front  where  the  Sunday  school  met, 
and  another  in  the  rear  for  the  primary  depart- 
ment. Nevertheless,  the  leaders  became  con- 
vinced that  they  had  a  duty  toward  the  recreational 
problems  of  their  boys  and  young  men.  A  hard- 
wood floor  was  laid  over  one-half  of  the  larger  room. 
Basket-ball  goals  were  placed  on  the  walls,  the 
windows  and  lights  in  that  part  of  the  room  were 

145 


146  Recreation  and  the  Church 

protected  by  wire  gratings,  and  the  sport  began. 
Later,  between  the  two  buildings  was  discovered 
an  unused  space  in  which  some  showers  and  lockers 
were  established,  much  of  the  work  being  done  by 
the  young  men  themselves.  It  was  a  rather  meager 
equipment,  but  some  royal  good  games  were  played 
in  that  space  and  a  lively  interest  was  created 
among  the  boys  and  young  men,  which  did  much 
toward  tiding  that  church  over  some  pretty  hard 
times. 

The  main  thing  is  to  recognize  the  right  of  such 
activities  to  a  place  in  the  church.  This  settled, 
space  will  be  found  that  can  do  double  duty  and 
serve  purposes  of  both  religious  instruction  and 
worship  and  recreational  work. 

Another  church  in  a  small  country  town,  mostly 
industrial  in  character,  found  itself  confronted  with 
the  problem  of  unused  time  on  the  part  of  its  young 
people.  To  relieve  the  deadly  monotony  of  life 
in  a  place  largely  wanting  in  social  or  recreational 
opportunity,  something  had  to  be  done.  There 
was  a  large  and  rather  barren-looking  room  in  the 
basement  that  had  been  used  for  some  of  the 
Sunday-school  classes.  It  was  not  very  expensive 
to  tint  the  walls  and  ceiling,  lay  a  carpet,  and  pur- 
chase some  games,  beginning  with  a  few  crokinole 
and  checker  tables.  A  number  of  books  and  maga- 
zines were  donated  for  a  quiet  corner.  Other 
games  were  added  as  their  value  became  more  ap- 


Equipment  and  Organization  147 

parent.  At  the  start  this  room  was  thrown  open 
on  certain  evenings  for  informal  good  times.  There 
were  music  and  singing,  group  games  as  well  as 
individual  games,  and  a  great  deal  of  genial  social 
fellowship.  Then  classes  and  groups  began  to  take 
the  initiative  in  promoting  social  affairs,  and 
almost  before  the  people  were  aware  of  it  that 
church  had  become  a  social  center  for  the  town. 

As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  most  popular  indoor 
games  require  very  little  special  equipment.  Two 
baskets  and  clear  space  with  windows  and  lights 
protected  are  all  that  is  needed  for  basket-ball, 
one  of  the  most  popular  of  indoor  sports.  For  club 
meetings  any  room  suitable  for  Sunday  purposes 
is  available. 

When  it  comes  to  such  equipment  as  gymnasium 
apparatus  simplicity  is  not  only  economical  but 
desirable,  as  will  be  noted  later.  In  many  churches 
the  boys  and  young  men  are  ready  and  glad  to  club 
together  and  furnish  the  funds  necessary  for  the 
first  modest  equipment  if  they  can  only  be  assured 
of  the  chance  to  use  them.  Where  this  opportunity 
is  given  in  anything  like  the  right  spirit  and  under 
proper  leadership,  it  is  almost  certain  to  bring  a 
fuller  appreciation  of  the  value  of  the  work  and 
the  needed  support. 

For  recreational  work  on  a  larger  and  more 
adequate  scale  the  parish  house  or  special  building 
is  highly  desirable  and  even  necessary.     In  another 


148  Recreation  and  the  Church 

volume  of  this  series,  Evans,  The  Sunday-School 
Buildmg  and  Its  Equipment,  the  plans  and  descrip- 
tions of  about  twenty  such  buildings  are  given. 
Many  of  these  are  designed  for  Sunday-school 
purposes  primarily,  and  many  of  them  make  little 
or  no  provision  for  much  recreational  work,  but  the 
plans  of  Plymouth  Center,  Oakland,  Cahfornia 
(pp.  45-50),  Community  House,  Winnetka,  Illi- 
nois (pp.  64-68),  Jefferson  Street  Church  of  Christ, 
Buffalo,  New  York  (pp.  79-81),  San  Diego  Baptist 
Church,  California  (pp.  82-84),  Canadian  Commis- 
sion plan  (pp.  88-92),  Brick  Church  Institute, 
Rochester,  New  York  (pp.  92-96),  and  St.  Paul's 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  Cedar  Rapids,  Iowa 
(pp.  98-103),  all  make  provision,  more  or  less  com- 
plete, for  the  recreational  side  of  the  church's  life. 

Reference  will  be  made  to  these  plans  as  illus- 
trating some  of  the  following  points  which  should 
be  kept  in  mind  in  the  construction  of  a  church 
house : 

a)  Plan  for  the  work  it  is  intended  to  do.  It  is, 
of  course,  not  possible  to  foresee  every  need,  nor  is 
it  possible  to  anticipate  all  the  future  developments 
of  an  active  work,  once  it  is  begun.  The  church 
has  no  monopoly  in  regard  to  this  difficulty.  Many 
a  business  firm  has  spent  large  sums  of  money  in 
the  construction  of  what  seemed  to  be  a  thoroughly 
adequate  plant,  only  to  find  that  the  development 
of  its  business  or  the  changes  in  methods  of  produc- 


Equipment  and  Organization  149 

tion  and  distribution  make  necessary  alterations 
or  even  complete  rebuilding.  In  such  cases  the 
business  house  realizes  that  the  necessary  changes 
must  be  met  to  produce  results  and  continued 
profits.  Unfortunately  the  church  does  not  always 
recognize  the  validity  of  the  same  principle  and  will 
be  content  with  inferior  or  greatly  reduced  results 
rather  than  meet  the  expense  of  further  develop- 
ment. 

It  is  possible,  however,  to  do  much  better  than 
we  often  do  by  careful  study  of  the  problems  con- 
fronting the  church,  the  needs  of  the  community, 
and  the  best  ways  of  meeting  them.  Before  the 
Winnetka  church  erected  its  Community  House 
a  long  period  was  spent  in  studying  the  needs  of  the 
work.  The  director  of  religious  education  was 
sent,  at  the  expense  of  the  church,  to  investigate 
plants  in  various  parts  of  the  country  and  to  secure 
ideas.  The  result  was  an  equipment  admirably 
fitted  for  the  work  of  that  community.  Note  also 
the  example  of  the  St.  Paul's  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church  of  Cedar  Rapids,  Iowa,  referred  to  in  the 
preceding  chapter. 

Care  should  be  taken  in  the  choice  of  an  architect 
to  see  that  someone  is  secured  who  has  had  experi- 
ence in  planning  buildings  of  this  t}'pe.  There  are 
many  architects  of  high  standing  and  unquestioned 
ability  who  have  had  little  or  no  experience  in  this 
particular  phase  of  construction.     There  are  spe- 


150  Recreation  and  the  Church 

cialists  in  church  architecture  as  well  as  in  other 
lines  of  work,  and  such  should  be  consulted. 
Y.M.C.A.  secretaries  and  architects  who  have 
designed  Association  buildings  are  valuable  coun- 
selors. It  is  not  to  be  expected  that  a  pastor  or 
building  committee,  whose  previous  experience  has 
had  to  do  only  with  the  ordinary  demands  of  wor- 
ship and  Sunday-school  work,  should  be  able  to 
judge  of  the  requirements  of  institutional  and 
recreational  activities;  and  such  should  seek  com- 
petent advice. 

b)  Plan  for  the  largest  possible  usefulness  of 
each  room.  Both  economy  and  efficiency  may  be 
secured  by  a  plan  of  construction  that  will  permit 
a  given  room  to  be  used  for  as  many  different  pur- 
poses as  possible.  Note,  for  example,  the  main 
floor  plan  of  Plymouth  Center  (Evans,  The  Sunday- 
School  Building  and  Its  Equipment,  p.  47)  where 
the  large  room  is  planned  to  serve  as  a  gymnasium, 
a  hall  for  dramatic  or  other  entertainments,  and  a 
Sunday-school  room  with  divisions  for  classes. 
The  gymnasium  of  the  Winnetka  Community 
House,  shown  on  page  66  of  the  same  volume,  is 
equipped  with  a  stage,  and  is  also  used  for  Sunday 
school  and  Sunday  afternoon  gatherings.  If  the 
work  to  be  done  justifies  the  constant  use  of  the 
gymnasium  for  its  own  purposes  and  a  separate 
hall  can  be  provided,  as  in  the  plans  of  the  Brick 
Church  Institute  and  St.  Paul's  Methodist  Epis- 


Equipment  and  Organization  151 

copal  Church,  so  much  the  better,  but  where 
economy  of  space  and  money  is  necessary,  much 
can  be  done  through  such  combinations  as  are  here 
suggested. 

c)  Build  walls  and  floors  as  solidly  and  as  nearly 
soundproof  as  possible.  There  are  numerous  in- 
stances of  such  buildings  which  have  been  con- 
structed with  an  idea  of  economy  in  the  wrong 
place.  If  the  plant  is  used  to  its  full  capacity,  as 
it  should  be,  there  will  be  many  different  activities 
going  on  at  the  same  time.  In  one  of  the  buildings 
mentioned  there  are  rooms  which  are  often  used 
for  meetings  of  an  educational,  musical,  or  literary 
character.  These  have  been  seriously  interfered 
with  by  the  fact  that  the  bowling  alley  is  under  one 
of  them  and  the  swimming-pool  under  another. 
Neither  of  these  forms  of  recreation  is  quiet  in  char- 
acter and  the  floors  are  by  no  means  soundproof. 
Consequently,  when  the  ladies  of  the  church 
wished  to  have  a  missionary  afternoon,  or  some 
class  wanted  to  have  a  banquet  with  speaking, 
there  were  constant  complaints  and  requests  that 
the  boys  or  girls  in  the  swimming-pool  should  be 
told  to  keep  quiet.  Imagine  trying  to  persuade 
forty  or  fifty  youngsters  to  enjoy  a  swim  without 
loud  splashing  or  yelhng.  One  might  as  well  try 
to  train  a  goldfinch  to  fly.  without  singing, 

d)  Separate  as  widely  as  possible  rooms  that  are 
to  be  used  for  conflicting  purposes.     This  item  is 


152  Recreation  and  the  Church 

closely  akin  to  the  preceding  and  is  an  additional 
precaution  in  the  same  direction.  Such  features  as 
gymnasium,  swimming-pool,  bowling  alleys,  and 
the  like  should  be  grouped  as  closely  as  possible 
in  one  part  of  the  building.  If  the  gymnasium  is 
over  the  swimming-pool  or  bowling  alleys,  neither 
will  interfere  with  the  other. 

Under  this  head  may  be  noted  another  point, 
now  well  understood  by  the  Y.M.C.A.,  the  com- 
plete separation  of  the  boys'  department  from  that 
of  the  men.  The  two  do  not  combine  well.  It  is 
the  nature  of  boys  to  take  their  sport  gleefully, 
enthusiastically,  and  with  many  audible  expres- 
sions of  their  enjoyment.  Boisterousness  is  by 
no  means  a  sign  of  moral  depravity  in  boys.  But 
men  want  their  recreation  in  quieter  forms  and  are 
often  annoyed  by  the  superabundant  enthusiasm 
of  youth.  In  the  best  modern  Y.M.C.A.  buildings 
the  boys'  departments  are  so  arranged  as  to  permit 
of  this  separation.  An  entirely  separate  entrance 
is  provided  in  most  cases;  the  game-rooms,  locker- 
rooms,  and  such  equipment  are  separate,  and  the 
entrances  from  their  quarters  to  gymnasium  and 
swimming-pool  are  usually  separate,  the  schedule 
being  so  arranged  as  to  reserve  different  hours  for 
the  use  of  these  facilities  by  boys  and  men.  Care 
in  planning  at  this  point  will  obviate  much  friction 
and  serious  detriment  to  the  work.  Without  it 
the  attempt  to  use  the  building  for  both  purposes 


Equipment  and  Organization  153 

at  the  same  time  will  inevitably  result  in  an  at- 
mosphere of  repression  for  the  boys  that  spoils 
their  enjoyment  and  results  in  killing  their  in- 
terest. 

e)  Plan  for  the  greatest  possible  centraHzation 
of  control  and  supervision.  This  also  is  important 
in  the  interests  of  economy  and  efficiency.  The 
need  of  supervision  has  already  been  sufficiently 
explained  and  this  item  in  planning  may  be  illus- 
trated by  one  or  two  examples. 

In  the  modern  Y.M.C.A.  buildings  it  will  usually 
be  found  that  the  billiard  tables  are  placed  on  the 
ground  floor  in  the  lobby,  within  full  view  of  the 
general  office.  With  such  an  arrangement  it  is 
possible  to  give  all  the  supervision  necessary, 
except  possibly  at  the  busiest  times,- without  an 
extra  attendant  in  the  billiard-room.  In  the  new 
building  of  the  Rochester  Y.M.C.A.  the  main 
lobby,  with  its  biUiard-room,  game  tables,  reading- 
room,  and  cozy  corners,  is  upon  one  side  of  the 
office,  and  all  in  full  view.  Just  back  of  the  office 
desk  are  the  administrative  offices,  clerks,  stenog- 
raphers, etc.,  and  adjoining  them  on  the  other  side 
are  the  office  and  desk  for  the  boys'  department 
which  also  commands  a  full  view  of  the  game-room 
for  their  use.  Such  an  arrangement  makes  it 
possible  during  the  vacation  period  when  activities 
are  fewer  in  number  to  control  the  entire  plant  with 
a  smaller  number  of  attendants. 


154  Recreation  and  the  Church 

The  means  of  access  to  the  physical  department 
is  another  point  to  be  carefully  watched.  The 
plans  of  the  Brick  Church  Institute  present  a 
serious  defect  in  this  respect  (Evans,  The  Sunday - 
School  Building  and  Its  Equipment,  p.  93).  The 
gymnasium  is  reached  by  a  door  opening  from  the 
main  corridor  in  the  basement.  Access  to  this  cor- 
ridor may  be  had  either  from  the  front  stairway 
opposite  the  basement  office,  or  by  the  rear  stair- 
way which  goes  to  the  top  of  the  building.  The 
only  possibility  of  complete  control  of  the  gym- 
nasium entrance  is  by  someone  continuously  sta- 
tioned at  that  door,  which  is  out  of  the  question. 
Again,  the  swimming-pool  has  three  entrances,  one 
at  each  end  and  one  at  the  side,  near  the  showers. 
Such  a  multiplicity  of  entrances  makes  economical 
and  efficient  control  practically  impossible.  Here 
again  the  experience  of  the  Y.M.C.A.  is  valuable. 
We  find  its  buildings  planned,  as  a  rule,  so  as  to  give 
entrance  to  the  gymnasium  and  swimming-pool 
only  through  an  office  controlling  the  locker-rooms 
from  which  members  pass  into  the  gymnasium  or 
pool.  In  this  office  may  be  centrahzed  such  mat- 
ters as  the  care  of  towels,  sale  of  gymnasium  sup- 
plies, and  supervision  of  the  locker-rooms.  The 
Y.M.C.A.  is,  of  course,  relieved  of  the  complication 
caused  by  having  to  care  for  girls  and  women  as 
well  as  boys  and  men,  but  these  two  classes  should 
be  provided  for  as  separate  departments,  each  with 


Equipment  and  Organization  155 

its  own  separate  entrance  to  be  used  at  the  specified 
times. 

/)  Consider  simplicity,  durability,  and  usefulness 
in  the  equipment.  This  applies  to  the  rooms  for 
social  purposes  as  well  as  to  the  physical  depart- 
ment. Attractiveness  in  decoration  and  comfort 
in  furnishings  are  a  decided  asset  in  the  lobbies 
and  halls  used  for  social  gatherings,  but  these 
desirable  features  may  be  combined  with  simpHcity 
and  durability.  For  a  lobby  or  room  that  is  to  be 
used  as  a  reading-  or  rest-room  furniture  of  the 
mission  t}'pe,  plain,  without  carving  or  ornamenta- 
tion that  accumulates  dust  and  suffers  damage,  is 
desirable.  It  is  not  foolish  to  spend  money  on 
anything  that  makes  for  good  taste  and  real  beauty 
in  furnishings  and  decoration.  All  these  things 
are  an  important  factor  in  the  culture  of  the  best 
in  human  life.  But  simplicity  and  adaptation  to 
the  main  purposes  in  view  are  a  part  of  good  taste. 

In  the  equipment  of  a  gymnasium  the  demand 
for  simplicity  should  be  carefully  considered. 
Many  churches,  in  fitting  out  a  gymnasium,  are 
likely  to  purchase  apparatus  and  special  equipment 
that  would  be  of  value  in  a  large  Y.M.C.A.  or 
athletic  club  where  much  specialized  work  for  men 
is  done.  But  the  main  part  of  the  church's  work 
will  be  in  the  Hne  of  organized  and  supervised  play 
for  boys  and  girls,  for  which  very  little  special 
apparatus    is    needed.     For    the    average    church 


156  Recreation  and  the  Church 

gymnasium  the  desirable  outfit  will  consist  of  about 
six  good  floor  mats,  a  jump-board  and  standards, 
horse,  a  horizontal  bar,  climbing  rope,  and  perhaps 
some  traveling  or  swinging  rings.  An  outfit  of 
dumb-bells  or  Indian  clubs,  or  both,  will  be  useful 
for  drill  work,  the  number  to  be  purchased  depend- 
ing of  course  on  the  numbers  to  be  handled. 

Avoid  as  far  as  possible  any  apparatus  that  is 
fastened  to  the  walls,  or  projections  that  may  cause 
injury  to  players  in  basket-ball  or  similar  games. 
Heating-pipes,  radiators,  and  the  like  should  be  so 
placed  as  to  guard  against  this  same  danger.  The 
walls  should  be  left  as  free  as  possible  from  such 
projections.  In  many  gymnasiums  dumb-bells 
and  Indian  clubs  are  hung  on  hooks  around  the 
walls.  It  is  better  to  provide  chests  or  lockers  for 
their  storage. 

If  a  swimming-pool  is  included  in  the  equipment, 
precautions  should  be  taken  to  avoid  accidents. 
The  use  of  a  springboard  is  not  advisable  except 
in  the  large  pools  with  a  depth  of  eight  or  nine  feet 
of  water.  A  trolley  and  swimming  belt  are  a  very 
useful  apparatus  for  instruction  to  beginners. 

Shower  baths  are  a  practical  necessity,  as  violent 
physical  exercise  not  followed  by  a  bath  and  rub- 
down  is  neither  sanitary  nor  safe,  especially  in  cold 
weather.  In  the  installation  of  showers  be  sure 
that  the  main  feed  pipes  from  which  each  shower 
draws  its  supply  are  of  generous  size.     Otherwise 


Equipment  and  Organization 


157 


UJ   -5 


O    3 


■3.5 
5  o 

■§2 

o  o 

tCJZ 

t;  o 
£"5 


158  Recreation  and  the  Church 

the  showers  will  interfere  with  each  other,  those 
near  the  end  of  the  line  failing  to  get  the  proper 
supply  of  water  when  those  nearer  the  source  are 
in  use.  This  is  particularly  important  in  connec- 
tion with  the  hot  water. 

An  important  economy  in  space  may  be  secured 
by  using  the  system  of  storage  lockers  of  a  size 
just  large  enough  for  the  keeping  of  gymnasium 
suits,  together  with  larger  open  lockers  in  which 
clothing  may  be  placed  while  the  owner  is  using 
the  gymnasium  or  pool.  About  six  of  these  storage 
lockers  will  occupy  the  space  of  two  full-sized 
lockers  of  the  ordinary  type.  In  some  gymnasiums 
net  bags  are  used  in  the  boys'  department,  each  boy 
having  a  numbered  bag  in  which  to  keep  his  gym- 
nasium suit.  When  he  comes  to  class  he  is  given 
the  key  to  an  open  locker  and  his  bag.  He  leaves 
his  clothing  and  also  the  bag  in  the  locker  while 
exercising,  after  which  he  dresses,  leaves  the  locker 
open  for  the  next  comer,  and  returns  his  bag 
and  the  key  to  the  office.  After  being  aired  and 
dried  the  bag  is  hung  in  its  place  on  the  storage 
racks.  Many  times  the  number  of  boys  can  thus 
be  accommodated  in  the  same  amount  of  locker 
space. 

g)  Secure  adequate  lighting,  heating,  and  venti- 
lation. Too  much  trouble  cannot  be  taken  to 
instal  the  best  possible  heating  plant  with  a  view 
to   economical   operation.     Ventilation   is   also   a 


Equipment  and  Organization  159 

vital  factor.  Nothing  will  kill  the  enjoyment  of 
an  entertainment  or  lecture  more  surely  than  stuffy, 
impure  air.  The  proper  ventilation  of  locker-rooms 
is  a  matter  of  the  highest  importance  to  health  and 
general  sanitation,  and  yet  is  often  completely 
overlooked.  In  many  plans  it  seems  as  if  the 
designer  considered  any  little  corner  that  was  not 
to  be  otherwise  employed  as  suitable  for  a  locker- 
room.  On  the  contrary,  it  should  provide  ample 
space  for  the  number  to  be  accommodated  to  dress 
without  crowding,  and  the  ventilation  should  be 
ample.  A  room  filled  with  lockers  containing 
fifty  or  sixty  gymnasium  suits  heavy  with  perspira- 
tion and  without  a  good  circulation  of  air  is  a 
problem  for  the  board  of  health. 

li)  Provide  ample  storage-room.  This  also  is 
frequently  overlooked,  but  is  important.  In  one 
church  house  where  there  are  a  number  of  rooms 
all  used  for  various  purposes  the  lack  of  storage- 
room  for  the  chairs  has  limited  the  usefulness  of 
many  parts  of  the  building.  If  the  assembly  hall, 
which  has  three  hundred  chairs,  is  to  be  used  for 
any  purpose  requiring  a  free  floor,  some  other  room 
must  be  given  up  to  the  storage  of  those  chairs.  If 
the  room  in  which  the  portable  billiard  tables  for 
the  boys  are  set  up  is  to  be  used  for  any  other  pur- 
pose, the  tables  must  be  piled  against  the  wall,  a 
proceeding  which  is  both  unsightly  and  detrimental 
to  the  walls. 


i6o  Recreation  and  the  Church 

Here  is  a  use  for  the  stray  nook.  It  is  surprising 
how  much  storage-room  can  be  planned  for  if  the 
point  is  only  kept  in  mind.  Space  under  a  stair- 
way, under  a  stage  or  platform,  or  sometimes  above 
a  stairway  can  be  utilized.  There  should  also  be 
ample  locker  or  cupboard  space  for  the  safekeeping 
of  games,  material  for  sewing,  and  other  industrial 
work.  Scrutinize  plans  carefully  to  see  that  no 
odd  corner  which  might  be  thus  employed  is  wasted. 

These  are  only  a  few  suggestions  that  come  to 
the  mind  of  the  writer  as  the  result  of  experience. 
They  do  not  by  any  means  exhaust  the  list  of  pos- 
sible items.  The  main  thing,  however,  is  to  spend 
sufficient  time,  thought,  and  money  in  the  pre- 
liminary investigation  of  needs,  and,  in  consulta- 
tion with  others  who  have  had  experience  in  such 
work,  to  reduce  the  inevitable  mistakes  to  the 
minimum. 

§  2.    ORGANIZATION 

Under  this  head  a  few  suggestions  may  be  of 
value.  In  most  churches  having  parish  houses  and 
programs  of  institutional  work  we  find  a  more  or 
less  distinct  organization  with  its  own  board  of 
directors  or  managers.  Some  such  plan  of  com- 
mittees is,  of  course,  necessary  to  care  for  the  vari- 
ous activities  involved.  It  is  highly  important, 
however,  that  this  organization  be  related  closely 
to,   and  completely  identified   with,   the  church. 


Equipment  and  Organization 


i6i 


1 62  Recreation  and  the  Church 

All  such  work  conducted  by  or  under  the  auspices 
of  the  church  is  an  integral  part  of  its  own  work. 
It  must  be  so  recognized  or  there  is  danger  of  divi- 
sion and  even  direct  competition.  If  young  people 
come  to  think  of  the  church  as  one  thing  and  the 
church  house  as  another  and  quite  different  thing, 
they  choose  between  them,  not  always  to  the  ad- 
vantage of  the  former.  If  the  church  membership 
is  in  the  habit  of  thinking  of  the  institutional  work 
as  a  separate  enterprise,  there  is  again  room  for 
division  of  interest  and  energy.  And  just  to  the 
extent  that  the  institutional  part  of  the  work  is  suc- 
cessful, to  that  degree  will  it  become  a  formidable 
competitor  unless  occupying  its  rightful  place  as  a 
part  of  the  church  work,  alongside  of  the  Sunday 
school  or  any  other  branch. 

The  church  house  should  be  under  the  direct  care 
of  the  official  board  of  the  church,  with  such  com- 
mittees as  are  needed  to  carry  out  its  activities. 
Likewise  the  director  or  superintendent  of  the 
church  house  should  hold  a  close  relationship  to 
the  religious  educational  work  of  the  church  itself. 
In  some  churches  this  officer  is  the  assistant  pastor 
or  the  director  of  religious  education,  and  such  a 
combination  works  well. 

Enough  has  already  been  said  regarding  admin- 
istration and  leadership,  but  a  word  may  be  added 
with  reference  to  general  organization  of  com- 
mittees.    One  of  the  greatest  values  of  such  work 


Equipment  and  Organization  163 

as  has  been  described  is  the  field  it  opens  for  Chris- 
tian service  by  volunteer  workers.  In  the  Brick 
Church  Institute,  with  which  the  writer  is  con- 
nected, there  are  many  in  the  church  who  pay 
grateful  testimony  to  the  influence  of  the  work  in 
which  they  have  shared  in  giving  concreteness  and 
vitality  to  their  Christian  experience  and  church 
membership.  Care  therefore  should  be  taken  to 
avoid  falling  into  a  rut  in  the  selection  of  com- 
mittees. It  is  very  easy  to  make  up  a  committee 
and  to  keep  the  members  year  after  year  with  few 
changes,  leaving  the  details  of  the  work  to  the 
employed  workers  and  neglecting  the  duty  of  con- 
tinually bringing  in  new  volunteers.  It  has  been 
the  policy  of  this  church  for  some  years,  in  the 
annual  election  of  directors  for  the  Institute,  to 
make  a  few  changes  each  year  for  no  other  reason 
than  the  one  just  stated,  and  the  subcommittees  in 
charge  of  the  various  special  activities  are  con- 
stantly bringing  in  new  workers,  particularly  from 
among  the  young  people  who  are  being  trained  in 
the  work  itself. 

It  is  no  uncommon  thing  to  hear  effective  and 
earnest  workers  in  this  field  declare  that  they  re- 
ceive more  good  from  it  than  they  give.  Allowing 
for  becoming  modesty,  it  may  still  be  said  that  the 
worker  is  likely  to  receive  fully  as  much  as  he  gives, 
and  one  of  the  surest  tests  of  the  real  effectiveness 
of  any  such  service  is  the  degree  to  which  it  is 


164  Recreation  and  the  Church 

developing  leaders  for  its  own  perpetuation.  But 
leaders  may  be  potentially  developed  and  then  lost 
because  they  are  not  given  opportunity  to  exercise 
the  powers  that  are  in  them.  The  writer  once 
heard  a  certain  woman  who  had  been  engaged  in 
committee  work  in  connection  with  a  girls'  club 
complain  that  there  did  not  seem  to  be  anything 
for  her  to  do  of  late.  The  truth  was  that  the 
work  was  going  on  with  increased  effectiveness  and 
closer  adaptation  to  the  needs  because  its  manage- 
ment was  being  more  and  more  committed  to  the 
older  girls,  whose  ability  had  been  developed  in  the 
earlier  years  of  work.  Perhaps  the  highest  com- 
pliment that  could  be  paid  to  the  work  of  this 
woman  was  her  success  in  working  herself  "out  of 
a  job." 


CHAPTER  VII 

BIBLIOGRAPHY  OF  PLAY  AND  RECREATION 

The  following  list  is  by  no  means  exhaustive, 
yet  it  will  give  most  of  the  best  references  avail- 
able on  the  subjects  of  play  and  recreation  with 
special  reference  to  their  religious  educational 
value.  The  Department  of  Recreation  of  the 
Russell  Sage  Foundation,  130  East  2 2d  Street, 
New  York  City,  issues  a  pamphlet  by  Lee  F. 
Hanmer  and  Howard  R.  Knight,  entitled  Sources 
of  Information  on  Play  and  Recreation  (10  cents), 
which  will  furnish  a  fuller  list  for  those  who  wish  it. 

I.      GENERAL   WORKS    ON   PLAY 

Addams,  Jane.     The  Spirit  of  Youth  aitd  the  City  Streets. 

Macmillan,  1909.     Pp.  162.     $1.25. 
Atkinson,  Henry  A.     The  Chureh  and  the  People's  Play. 

Pilgrim  Press,  191 5.     Pp.200.     $1.00. 
Bowen,  Mrs.  Louise  Haddock  (de  Koven).     Safeguards  for 

City  Youth  at  Work  and  at  Play.     JNIacmillan,   1914. 

Pp.  241.     $1 .50. 
Braucher,  H.  S.     "How  to  Aid  the  Cause  of  Public  Recrea- 
tion," American  City,  X  (February,  1914),  136-41- 
Cabot,  Richard  Clarke.     What  Men  Live  By.     Houghton 

Mifflin  Co.,  1914.     Pp.  341-     $1   5°- 
Coulter,  Ernest  K.     Children  of  the  Shadow.     MacBride, 

Nast,  1913.     Pp.277.     li-50- 
165 


i66  Recreation  and  the  Church 

Curtis,    Henry   S.     Education   through   Play.     Macmillan, 

1915.     Pp.359-     $1  50. 
Edwards,  Richard  Henry.     Christianity  and  Amusements. 

Association  Press,  1915.     Pp.  157.     $0.50. 
Forbush,  William  B.     Coming  Generation.     Appleton,  1Q12. 

Pp.  402.     $1 .  50. 
Goldmark,    Pauline.     Boyhood    and    Lawlessness    and    the 

Neglected  Girl.     West-Side  Studies,  Survey  Associates, 

1914.     Pp.  142.     $2.00. 
Groos,    Karl.     The    Play    of   Animals.     Appleton,    1898. 

Pp.341.     $1.50. 
-.     The  Play  of  Man.     Appleton,    1901.     Pp.   412. 

$1.50. 
Hanmer,   Lee    F.,    and    Brunner,    August    H.     Recreation 

Legislation.     Revised  to  1915.     Russell  Sage  Founda- 
tion, Department  of  Recreation,  1915.     $0.20. 
Johnson,  George  E.     Education  by  Plays  and  Games.     Ginn, 

1907.     Pp.  234.     I0.90. 
Lee,     Joseph.     Play     in     Education.     Macmillan,     1915. 

Pp.  500.     $1 .  50. 
Patrick,    G.   T.   W.     "Psychology  of   Play,"   Pedagogical 

Seminary,  XXI  (September,  1914),  469-84- 
Schoenfeld,  Julia.     "Commercial  Recreation  Legislation," 

Playground,  VH  (March,  1914),  461-81. 
Wood,  Walter.  Children'' s  Play  and  Its  Place  in  Education. 
Dufheld,  1913.  Pp.218.  $1.25. 
Reference  should  also  be  made  to  the  Year  Book  of  the 
Playground  and  Recreation  Association  of  America,  i 
Madison  Avenue,  New  York  City,  and  to  the  following 
magazines,  which  contain  frequent  articles  on  this  topic: 
American  City,  American  Physical  Education  Review,  Asso- 
ciation Monthly,  Boy's  Life,  Mind  and  Body,  Playground, 
Rural  Manhood  (Y.M.C.A.),  Scouting,  Survey,  and  Work 
with  Bo  vs. 


Bibliography  167 

2.      EQUIPMENT  AND  ADMINISTRATION  OF  PLAYGROUNDS,  ETC. 

Angel,  Herbert  E.  "A  Farm  That  Became  a  Public  Park," 
American  City,  XI  (August,  1914),  1 10-13. 

Corbin,  Alice  M.  "How  to  Equip  a  Play-Room:  the  Pitts- 
burg Plan,"  Playgromid,  VH  (April,  1913),  8-15. 

Curtis,  Henry  S.  "Playground  Equipment,"  Playgrouiid, 
Vn  (November,  1913),  301-29. 

.     Practical    Conduct    of   Play.     Macmillan,    191 5. 

Pp.  330.     $1 .  50. 

DeGroot,  Edward  B.  "Recreation  Facilities  in  Public 
Parks,"  American  City,  X.  (January  and  February, 
1914),  9-15,  127-30. 

Leland,  Arthur.  Playground  Technique  and  Playcraft. 
Bassette,  1909.     Pp.284.    $2.50. 

Playground  and  Recreation  Association  of  America,  Proceed- 
ings, 1909. 
The  bound  volume  for  1909  contains  a  course  in  play 

for  grade  teachers,  institute  course  in  play,  and  normal 

course  in  play  for  professional  directors. 

3.      GAMES   FOR   HOME,    SCHOOL,    GYMNASIUM,    AND 
PLAYGROUND 

Angell,  Emmett  Dunn.     Play.     Games  for  the  Kindergarten, 

Playground,    Schoolroom    and    College.     Little,     1910. 

Pp.  90.     $1 .  50. 
Bancroft,    Jessie    H.     Games  for   the    Playground,    Home, 

School  and  Gymnasium.     Macmillan,  1909.     Pp.  456. 

$1.50. 
Benson,  J.  K.     Book  of  Indoor  Games.     Lippincott,  1904. 

Pp.354.     $1.50. 
Crozier,  Gladys  B.     Iiuioor  Games  for  Children.     Button, 

1914.     Pp.  120.     $0.40. 
.     Outdoor    Games    for    Children.     Button,     1914. 

Pp.  114.     $0.40. 


i68  Recreation  and  the  Church 

Forbush,    William    B.     Manual    of  Play.     Jacobs,    1914. 

Pp.353.     $1.50. 
Johnson,  George  E.     Education  by  Plays  and  Games.     Ginn, 

1907.     Pp.  234.     $0.90. 
.     What   to   Do   at   Recess.     Ginn,    1910.     Pp.    ^t,. 

$0.25. 
Lucas,  E.  V.  and  E.     Three  Hundred  Games  and  Pastimes. 

Macmillan,  1910.     Pp.392.     $2.00. 
Newell,  W.  W.     Games  and  Songs  of  American  Children. 

Harper,  1903.     Pp.282.     $1.50. 
Stecher,  William  A.     Games  and  Dances.     McVey,   191 2. 

Pp.165.     $i-25- 
White,  Mary.     Book  of  Games.     Scribner,  1905.     Pp.  191. 

|i  .00. 

4.      ATHLETIC   SPORTS 

Amateur  Athletic  Federation.  Official  Rule  and  Year  Book. 
Published  by  the  Federation,  Chicago,  111. 

Ball,  W.  H.  "An  Honor  Code  for  All  Competitive  Ath- 
letics," American  Physical  Education  Review,  XX 
(February,  191 5),  75-79. 

Beard,  Daniel  C.  Outdoor  Handy  Book.  Scribner,  1910. 
Pp.  496.     $2.00. 

Camp,  Walter.  "What  Are  Athletics  Good  For?"  Out- 
ing, LXIII  (December,  1913),  259-72. 

Dier,  J.  C.  Book  of  Winter  Sports.  Macmillan,  191 2. 
Pp.351.     $1.50. 

Dudley,  Gertrude,  and  Kellor,  Frances  A.  Athletic  Games 
for  Women.     Holt,  1909.     Pp.  268.     $1.25. 

Hutchinson,  Dr.  Woods.  Exercise  and  Health,  Outing  Co., 
1911.     Pp.  156.     $0.70. 

Maydol,  H.  D.  "Modern  Athletic  Contest  Socialized," 
Rural  Manhood,  IV  (April,  1913),  128-31. 


Bibliography  169 

Spalding's  Athletic  Library.  Published  annually  by  the 
American  Sports  Publishing  Co.,  New  York.  This 
series  contains  a  large  number  of  books  of  rules  for  all 
kinds  of  games,  as  well  as  treatises  on  training,  method 
of  play,  etc.  The  following  will  be  of  special  interest : 
Girls'  Athletics.  Official  handbook  of  the  girls'  branch 
of  the  Public  Schools  Athletic  League  of  New  York 
City.    $0.10. 

Public    Schools    Athletic    League    Handbook.     Boys' 

branch.    $0.10. 

Y.M.C.A.  Official  Handbook.    The  A.L.N.A.    $0.10. 

Steams,  Alfred  E.  "Athletics  and  the  School,"  Atlantic 
Monthly,  CXIII  (February,  1914),  148-52. 

Withington,  Paul.  Book  of  Athletics.  Lothrop,  1914. 
Pp.  512.     $1.50. 

5.      DANCING 

Anderson,    John    Murray.    Social    Dancing    of    Today. 

Stokes,  1914.    Pp.49.    $1.00. 
Bergquist,  Nils  W.    Swedish  Folk  Dances.    Barnes,  1910. 

Pp.  54.    $1 .  so- 
Burchenal,  Elizabeth.    Dances  of  the  People.     Schirmer, 

1913.     Paper,  $1.50;  cloth,  $2. 50.     (A  second  volume, 

same  prices.) 
.    Folk  Dances  and  Singing  Games.     Schirmer,  1910. 

Pp.92.    $1.50. 
Crampton,  Dr.  C.  Ward.    Folk  Dance  Book.    Barnes,  1910. 

Pp.81.    $1.50. 
Crawford,    Caroline.     Dramatic    Games    and    Dances   for 

Little  Children.    Barnes,  1914.     Pp.  77.    Si  50. 
Gulick,  Luther  H.    Healthfiil  Art  of  Dancing.    Doubleday, 

1910.     Pp.  237.    $1.40. 


170  Recreation  and  the  Church 

Hinman,  Mary  Wood.  Gymnastic  Dancing.  University  of 
Chicago  High  School.  (Published  by  the  author.) 
$2.00. 

Hofer,  Mari  R.  Popular  Folk  Games  and  Dances.  Flana- 
gan, 1907.     Pp.56.    $0.75. 

Kinney,  Troy  and  Margaret.  The  Dance:  Its  Place  in  Art 
and  Life.     Stokes,  1914.    Pp.  368.    $3 .  50. 

Rath,  Emil.  Aesthetic  Dancing.  Barnes,  1914.  Pp.  136. 
$1.50- 

6.      DRAMATICS 

Carter,  Elsie  Hobart.  Christmas  Candles.  Holt,  1915. 
$1.25. 

A  collection  of  little  plays  written  for  Christmas 
celebrations. 

Clapp,  John  M.  Plays  for  Amateurs.  Drama  League  of 
America,  19 1 5.    Pp.44.    $0.25. 

A  classified  list  of  plays  giving  information  as  to 
cast,  scenes,  length  of  time  required,  publisher,  and 
price. 

Curtis,  Eleanora  Whitman.  Dramatic  Instinct  in  Educa- 
tion.   Houghton  Mifflin  Co.,  1914.     Pp.  245.    $1.00. 

Fry,  Emma  Sheridan.  Educational  Dramatics.  Moffat, 
1913.    Pp.69.    $0.50. 

Guide  and  Index  to  Plays,  Festivals,  and  Masques;  Suitable 
for  Use  in  Schools,  Clubs,  and  Neighborhood  Centers. 
Compiled  by  the  Association  of  Neighborhood  Workers. 
Harper,  1 9 13.    Pp.44.    $0.25. 

Liitkenhaus,  Anna  M.  Plays  for  School  Children.  Cen- 
tury, 1915.    Pp.  250.    $1.25. 

Oglevay,  Kate.  Plays  for  Children.  Drama  League  of 
America,  191 5.    Pp.  15.    $0.25. 


Bibliography  i  7 1 

Walker,  Alice  Johnstone.  Little  Plays  from  American 
History  for  Young  Folks.  Holt,  1914.  Pp.  155. 
$  1 .  00. 

7.      STORIES   AND   STORY-TELLING 

Bailey,  Carolyn  Sherwin.     For  the  Story-Teller.     Bradley, 

1913.  Pp.  261.     $1 .  50. 

Bryant,  Sarah  Cone.     Stories  to  Tell  Children.     Houghton 

Mifflin  Co.,  1907.     Pp.  243.     $1.00. 
Burr,  Hanford  M.     Around  the  Fire:  Stories  of  Beginnings. 

Association  Press,  191 2.     Pp.238.     $0.75. 
Cheley,  F.  H.     Told  by  the  Camp  Fire.     Association  Press, 

1914.  Pp.  212.     $0. 75. 

Cowles,  Julia  D.  Art  of  Story-Telling:  with  Nearly  Half 
a  Hundred  Stories.     McClurg,  1914.     Pp.269.     $100. 

Dickinson,  Asa  D.  Children's  Book  of  Christmas  Stories. 
Doubleday,  1913.     Pp.  335.     $125. 

Houghton,  Louise  Seymour.  Telling  Bible  Stories.  Scrib- 
ner,  1905.     Pp.  286.     fi.50. 

Lyman,  Edna.  Story-Telling.  What  to  Tell  and  How  to 
Tell  It.     McClurg,  1910.     Pp.229.     $0-75- 

Olcott,  Frances  Jenkins.  Children's  Reading.  Houghton 
Mifflin  Co.,  191 2.     Pp.344.     $1.25. 

St.  John,  Edward  Porter.  Stories  and  Story-Telling.  Pil- 
grim Press,  1910.     Pp.  100.     $0.50. 

Wyche,  -Richard  T.  Some  Great  Stories  and  How  to  Tell 
Them.     Newson,  1910.     Pp.  181.     $1.00. 

8.      HAXDICRAFT 

Adams,   Joseph    H.     Harper's  Electricity   Book  for   Boys. 

Harper,  1907.     Pp.407.     $1.50-. 
.     Harper's  Indoor  Book  for  Boys.     Harper,   1908. 

Pp.364.     $1.50. 
.     Harper's    Machinery    Book    for    Boys.     Harper, 


1909.     Pp.373-     $1.50- 


172  .        Recreation  and  the  Church 

Armstrong,  Douglas  B.    Boys'  Book  of  Stamp  Collecting. 

Stokes,  1914.    Pp.227.    $i-So- 
Beard,  Daniel  C.    American  Boy's  Handy  Book.     Scribner, 

1903.    Pp.  441.    $2.00. 
.    Outdoor  Handy  Book.     Scribner,  1914.     Pp.  496. 

$1.50. 
Beard,  Lina  and  Adelia  B.    American  Girl's  Handy  Book. 

Scribner,  1907.    Pp.  559.    $2.00. 
Collins,  A.  Frederic.    Book  of  Wireless.    Appleton,  191 5. 

Pp.  238.    $1.00. 
Jessup,  L.  Anne,  and  Logue,  Annie  E.     The  Handicraft 

Book.     Barnes,  1913.     Pp.123.     $1.00. 
Paret,   Anna   Parmly.    Harper's  Handy   Book  for   Girls. 

Harper,  1910.     Pp.348.    $1.50. 
Verrill,  Alpheus  Hyatt.    Harper's  Aircraft  Book.    Harper, 

1913.     Pp.344-     $100. 
.     Harper's  Book  for  Young  Naturalists.     Harper, 

1913.     Pp.381.     $1.50. 
.    Harper's  Gasoline  Engine  Book.     Harper,   19 14. 

Pp.  289.    $1.00. 
.    Harper's  Wireless  Book.    Harper,  1913.     Pp.  185. 


9.      HOLIDAYS,    FESTIVALS,   PAGEANTS 

Bates,  Esther  Willard.  Pageants  and  Pageantry.  Ginn, 
191 2.     Pp.  294.    $1 .50. 

Chessire,  J.  K.  C.  Bethlehem  Tableaux.  Dutton,  1913. 
Pp.  102.    $2. 00. 

Chubb,  Percival.  Festivals  and  Plays  in  Schools  and  Else- 
where.   Harper,  191 2.     Pp.403.    $2.00. 

Davol,  Ralph.  Handbook  of  American  Pageantry.  Davol 
Publishing  Co.,  1914.     Pp.  236.     $2.50. 

Langdon,  William  C.  Celebrating  the  Fourth  of  July  by 
Means  of  Pageantry.  Russell  Sage  Foundation,  1912. 
Pp.55.    $0.15. 


Bibliography  173 

Lincoln,   Jeanette   E.     C.     Festival    Book.     Barnes,  191 2. 

Pp.74.    $1.50. 
Mackay,  Constance  D'Arcy.     Patriotic  Pageants  and  Plays 

for  Young  People.     Holt,  1912.     Pp.225.     $i-35- 
.     Plays  of  the  Pioneers.     Harper,  1915.     Pp.  174. 

$1 .00. 
Merington,    Marguerite.     Festival   Plays.     Duflfield,    1913. 

Pp.302.     $1.25. 
Needham,  Mary  Master.     Folk  Festivals;  Their  Growth  and 

How  to  Give  Them.     Huebsch,  1912.     Pp.244.     $1-25. 
Schauffler,     R.     H.     Our     American     Holidays.     Moffat. 

$1 .00  each. 

Several  volumes,  each  treating  of  a  separate  holiday, 

Christmas,  Thanksgiving,  Independence  Day,  Memo- 
rial Day,  etc. 
Stevens,  Thomas  W.,  and  Goodman,  Kenneth  S.     Pageant 

for  Independence  Day.     Stage  Guild.    $0.35. 
Thoburn,  Helen.     "Pageantry  in  Country  Places,"  Rural 

Manhood,  IV  (November,  1913),  323-27. 
Many  of  the  reports  of  the  park  commissioners  of  various 
cities  give  helpful  suggestions  and  descriptions  of  play 
festivals  and  pageants.  Hanmer  and  Knight  list  the  fol- 
lowing: Report  of  the  Annual  Play  Festival,  Chicago, 
Illinois;  Annual  Children's  Day  at  Belle  Isle,  Detroit, 
Michigan;  Neighborhood  Playground  Festivals,  Minne- 
apoHs,  Minnesota;  Field  Meet  and  Picnic  of  Summer 
Schools  and  Playgrounds,  St.  Paul,  Minnesota. 

10.      ENTERTAINMENTS  AND   SOCIALS 

Baker,  G.  C.  Indoor  Games  and  Socials  for  Boys.  Asso- 
ciation Press,  191 2.     Pp.200.    $0.75. 

Chelsey,  A.  M.  Social  Activities.  Association  Press,  1910. 
Pp.304.    $1.00. 


174  Recreation  and  the  Church 

Crozier,  Gladys  B.  Children's  Parties.  Dutton,  1914. 
Pp.  119.     $0.40. 

Day,  Mrs.  Lillian  Catherine.  Social  Entertainments. 
Moffat,  1914.     Pp.  138.     $1.00. 

Kingsland,  Mrs.  Burton.  The  Book  of  Indoor  and  Outdoor 
Games,  with  Suggestions  for  Entertainments.  Double- 
day,  1904.     Pp.  610.     $1 .  50. 

Ordway,  Edith  Bertha.  Handbook  of  Conmidrums.  Sully, 
1913.     Pp.  198.     $0.50. 

Reisner,  Christian  F.  Social  Plans  for  Young  People,  for 
Pleasure  and  Profit.  Abingdon  Press,  1908.  Pp.  254. 
$0.75- 

White,  Mary  and  Sarah.  Book  of  Children's  Parties.  Cen- 
tury, 191 1.     Pp.173.     $100. 

II.      MOTION   PICTURES 

Cocks,  Orrin  G.  "Applying  Standards  to  Motion-Picture 
Films,"  Survey,  XXXII  (June  27,  1914),  337-38. 

Collier,  John.     "Censorship  in  Action,"  Survey,  XXXIV 

(August  7,  1915),  423-27- 
Folks,  Ralph.     "Motion-Picture  Legislation,"  Playground, 

VII  (September,  1913),  227-34. 

Howe,  Frederic  C.  "What  to  Do  with  the  Motion-Picture 
Show,"  Outlook,  CVII  (June,  1914),  412-16. 

Hurlbert,  Dorothy.  "Moving  Pictures,"  Minnesota  Pub- 
lic Library  Commission,  Library  Notes  and  News,  IV 
(December,  1914),  132-39. 

Saunders,  A.  H.  "Motion  Pictures  as  an  Aid  to  Educa- 
tion," vVti/wwa/ £(/z<co/jon  ^55oaa/fo«,  1914,  pp.  743-48. 

Stockton,  E.  Boudinot.  "Moving  Pictures  Suitable  for 
Educational  Purposes,"  Moving  Picture  World,  1915. 


Bibliography  175 

Willard,  F.  R.     "Molion-Picture  Theatre  and  the  Child," 
Education,  XXXV  (February,  191 5),  350-61. 
The  National  Board  of  Censorship,  70  Fifth  Avenue, 
New  York  City,  publishes  reports,  lists  of  films  censored, 
and  much  other  information  on  the  subject. 

12.     boys'  and  girls'  clubs 

Bernheimer,  Charles  S.,  and  Cohen,  Jacob  M.  Boys  Clubs, 
Baker,  1914.     Pp.  136.     $1.00. 

Buck,  Winifred.  Boys^  Self-governing  Clubs.  Macmillan, 
1903.     Pp.  218.     $0. 50. 

Fiske,  George  W.  Boy-life  and  Self-government.  Asso- 
ciation Press,  1910.     Pp.310.     $1.00. 

Hoben,  Allan.  The  Minister  and  the  Boy.  The  University 
of  Chicago  Press,  1912.     Pp.  171.     $1.00. 

McCormick,  William.  The  Boy  and  His  Clubs.  Revell, 
1912.     Pp.  96.     $0. 50. 

Merrill,  Lilburn.  Winning  the  Boy.  Revell,  1908.  Pp.160 
$0.75. 

Mills,  Charles  H.  ''Boys'  Clubs  in  the  Recreation  Center," 
Playground,  VII  (October,  1913),  279-84. 

Porter,  David  R.  Clubs  and  Other  Work  with  Boys.  Asso- 
ciation Press,  1914.     Pp.  34.     $0.10. 

Puffer,  J.  Adams.  The  Boy  and  His  Gang.  Houghton 
Mifflin  Co.,  1912.     Pp.  188.     $1,00. 

13.      BOY    SCOUTS,    CAMP    FIRE    GIRLS,    WOODCRAFT     LEAGUE 

Baden-Powell,   Sir  Robert.     Boy  Scouts  beyond  the  Seas. 

Lippincott,  1913.     Pp.250.     $1.00. 
Boy    Scouts    of    America.     Handbook    for    Boys.     19 16. 

Pp.470.     $0.50. 
.     Handbook    for    Scoait  masters.     19 14.     Pp.     352. 

$0.50. 


176  Recreation  and  the  Church 

Camp  Fire  Girls.     Book  of  the  Camp  Fire  Girls.    Doran, 

1913.     3d  ed.     Pp.64.     $0.25. 
.    Camp  Fire  Girls  Handbook.     Camp  Fire  Girls  of 

America.    $0.25. 
Carey,  Arthur  A.     Scoutlaw  in  Practice.     Little,  Brown, 

1915.     Pp.  171.     $0.60. 
Cave,  Edward.     The  Boy  Scoiifs  Hike  Book.     Doubleday, 

1913.  Pp.  243.     $0.50. 

Reany,   M.  Jane.     "The  Psychology  of  the  Boy  Scout 

Movement,"  Pedagogical  Seminary,  XXI  (September, 

1914),  407-11. 
Richardson,  Norman  E.,  and  Loomis,  Ormond  E.    Boy 

Scout   Movement   Applied    by   the   Church.     Scribner, 

191 5.    Pp.400.    $1.50. 
Riis,  Jacob.     "The  Boy  Scouts,"  Outlook,  CV  (October  25, 

I9i3),4i2. 
Rogers,   Ethel.    Sehago-Wohelo   Camp   Fire   Girls.     Good 

Health  Publishing  Co.     Pp.  249.     |i .  25. 
Seton,  Ernest  Thompson.     The  Woodcraft  Manual  for  Boys. 

Doubleday,  1917.    Pp.441.    $0.50. 
.     The  Woodcraft  Manual  for  Girls.     Doubleday, 

1917.    Pp.  424.    $0.50. 

14.      CAMPING 

Beard,  Daniel  C.    Shelters,  Shacks,  and  Shanties.     Scribner, 

1914.  Pp.  243.    $1.25. 

Beard,  Lma  and  Adelia  B.    On  the  Trail.     Scribner,  191 5. 

Pp.271.    $1.25. 
Cheley,  F.  H.,  and  Baker,  G.  C.  Camp  and  Outing  Activities. 

Association  Press,  191 5.    Pp.400.    $1.50. 
Gibson,   H.   W.    Camping  for  Boys.    Association  Press, 

1911.     Pp.  249.    $1 .00. 


Bibliography  177 

Gibson,  William  H.    Camp  Life  in  the  Woods.    Harper, 

1905.  Pp.300.    $1.00. 

Hanks,  Charles  S.     Camp  Kits  aiid  Camp  Life.     Scribner, 

1906.  Pp.  259.    $1.50. 

Hinckley,  George  W.  Roughing  It  with  Boys.  Associa- 
tion Press,  19 13.     Pp.266.    $0.75. 

Kephart,    Horace.       Book    of   Camping    and   Woodcraft. 

Outing  Co.,  1908.     Pp.331.     Si.  50. 
.     Camp    Cookery.     Outing    Co.,    1910.     Pp.    153. 

$1.00. 
Marks,  Jeanette  A.     Vacation  Camping  for  Girls.    Apple- 
ton,  1913.     Pp.  228.    $1.00. 
Miller,  Warren  H.     Camp-craft.     Scribner,  191 5.    Pp.  282. 

$1.50- 
Moody,  Dr.  Charles  S.     Backwoods  Surgery  and  Medicine. 

Outing  Co.,  191 1.     Pp.  99.     $0.70. 
Seton,  Ernest  Thompson.     Book  of  Woodcraft  and  Indian 

Lore.     Doubleday,  1913.     Pp.567.    $1.75. 
Stevens,  W.  C.     "Sensible  Outfit  for  Amateur  Hikers," 

Outing,  LXIV  (May,  1914),  172-77. 
Verrill,  A.  Hyatt.     Boys'  Outdoor  Vacation  Book.    Dodd, 

1915.     Pp.321.    $1.25. 

15.      PHYSICAL  TRAINING 

Anderson,  W.  G.  and  W.  L.  Manual  of  Physical  Training 
for  Boys  and  Girls.  Christian  Endeavor,  19 14. 
Pp.  145.    $1 .00. 

Athletic  Badge  Test  for  Boys.  Playground  and  Recreation 
Association  of  America.    $0.05. 

Athletic  Badge  Test  for  Girls.  Playground  and  Recreation 
Association  of  America.    $0.05. 

Group  Athletics  for  Boys.  Russell  Sage  Foundation,  De- 
partment of  Recreation.    $0.02. 


178  Recreation  and  the  Church 

Group    Athletics    for    Girls.      Russell    Sage    Foundation, 
Department  of  Recreation,     fo.02. 

KauU,  Lavinia  H.     Physical  Education  Complete  for  Schools 

and  Playgrounds.     KauU,  1915.     Pp.  272.     $2.00. 
Robinson,  A.  J.     Physical  Training  and  Athletics.     Bulletin 

of  the  University  of  Texas,  Extension  Series,  No.  41, 

January  22,  1914.     Pp.  65. 
Stecher,    William   A.     Handbook    of  Lessons   in   Physical 

Training  and  Games.     McVey,  1908.     Pp.23.     Parts  I 

and  II,  $0.35;   Part  III,  $0.50. 

16.      RECREATIONAL   SURVEYS 

Aronovici,  Carol.    Knowing  One's  Own  Community.    Ameri- 
can Unitarian  Association,  $0. 10. 
Clinton  Avenue  Congregational  Church,  Brooklyn,  N.Y. 

Community  study  of  the  parish  made  by  a  committee 

of  the  church  under  the  direction  of  Henry  A.  Atkinson 

and  Morrison  R.  Boynton.     Pp.  69. 
Collier,  John,  and  Barrows,  Edward  M.     The  City  Where 

Crime   Is   Play.     People's    Institute,    1914.     Pp.    44. 

$0.10. 
Curtis,  Henry  S.     "Playground  Survey,"  American  Journal 

of  Sociology,  XIX  (May,  1914),  792-812. 
Foster,     William     T.     "V^audeville    and     Motion-Picture 

Shows,"   Bulletin  of  Reed  College,  Portland,  Oregon, 

1914.     Pp.  63. 
Hanmer,  Lee  F.,  and  Perry,   Clarence  A.     Recreation  in 

Springfield,  Illinois.     Russell  Sage  Foundation,  1914. 

Pp.  156.     $0.25. 
Haynes,  Rowland.     Recreation  Survey,  Detroit,  Michigan. 

Playground  and  Recreation  Association  of  America, 

1913.     Pp.  71. 


Bibliography  i7q 

Haynes,    Rowland.     Recreation    Survey    of   Kansas    City, 

Missouri.    Second  Annual  Report,  Recreation  Depart- 
ment of  the  Public  Welfare  Board,  1911-12. 
.     ''Recreation  Survey  of  Milwaukee,  Wisconsin," 

Playground,  Vl  (May,  191 2),  38-67. 
Hubbard,  H.  \.     Size  and  Distribution  0}  Playgrounds  and 

Similar  Recreation  Facilities  in  American  Cities.     1914. 
Knight,  Howard  R.     Play  and  Recreation  in  a  Town  of 

6000.     Recreation  Survey  of  Ipswich,  Massachusetts. 

Russell  Sage  Foundation,  1915.     $0.25. 
Nolen,  John.     Re  planning  Small  Cities;  Six  Typical  Studies. 

Huebsch,  1912.     Pp.218.    $2.50. 
North,    Francis    R.     Recreation    Survey    of   Indianapolis, 

Indiana.     Playground  and  Recreation  Association  of 

America,  1914.     Free. 
.     Recreation   Survey   of  Providence,   Rhode   Island. 

Playground  and  Recreation  Association  of  America. 

Free. 
Robinson,  Charles  M.     "Recreation  from  a  City-Planning 

Standpoint,"    Playground,    VII     (September,     1913), 

220-27. 
Rural  Surveys.     Department  of  Church  and  Country  Life, 

Board  of  Home  Missions,  Presbyterian  Church.     $0. 10 

each. 
Surveys  of  Indiana;    Missouri;    Maryland;    Ohio;    Tulare 

Co.,  California;   Arkansas;   Redwood  Co.,  Minnesota. 

17.      MANUFACTURERS     OF     G.4MES     AKD     PLAYGROUXD     AXD 
GYMNASIUM   APPARATUS 

American  Playground  Device  Company,  Anderson,  Ind. 
Ashland  Manufacturing  Company,  Ashland,  Ohio. 
Brunswick-Balke-Collender   Company,    29   West   3 2d   St., 
New  York  City. 


i8o  Recreation  and  the  Church 

Child  Welfare  Company,  i86  Insurance  Exchange  Building, 

Chicago,  111. 
Everwear  Manufacturing  Company,  Springfield,  Ohio. 
Giant  Manufacturing  Company,  Council  Bluffs,  Iowa. 
Health  Merry-Go-Round  Company,  Quincy,  111. 
Howard,  George,  Playground  Outfitter,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 
Kindermart,  Baltimore,  Md.     (Carved  animals  and  wooden 

toys.) 
Medart  Manufacturing  Company,  St.  Louis,  Mo. 
Miller,  Harry,  127  N.  Millick  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 
Milton  Bradley  Company,  221  Fourth  Avenue,  New  York 

City. 
Narragansett  Machine  Company,  Providence,  R.I. 
Partridge,   Horace   Partridge   Company,   75   Hawley  St., 

Boston,  Mass. 
Playground  Apparatus  Manufacturing  Company,  Temple- 
ton,  Mass. 
Spalding,  A.  G.,  Bros.,  Chicopee,  Mass. 
Tothill  Manufacturing  Company,  Chicago,  111. 
Tuck,  Raphael,  and  Sons  Company,   122  Fifth  Avenue, 

New    York    City.     (Mechanical    dolls,    rocking    and 

walking  animals.) 
Winters  and  Reinecke,   822   Arch   St.,   Philadelphia,   Pa. 

(Sand  molds  and  toys.) 


INDEX 


INDEX 


Administration  of  recreational 
activities,   i6o  fif. 

Adolescence:  early,  94  ff.; 
later,  100  ff. 

Amateur  Athletic  Federation, 
105  ff. 

Amusement  parks,  49  f. 

Amusements  and  the  church, 
65  fif. 

Apparatus,  dealers  in,  179  f. 

Ashland  Avenue  Baptist 
Church,  Toledo,  Ohio,  127  f. 

Athletics:  104  ff.;  bibliogra- 
phy, 168  f. 

Bibliography:  athletic  sports, 
168  f.;  Boy  Scouts,  175  f.; 
Camp  Fire  Girls,  175  f.; 
camping,  176  f.;  dancing, 
169?.;  dramatics,  170;  en- 
tertainments, 173  f.;  festi- 
vals, 172  f.;  games,  167  f.; 
general  works  on  play,  165  f.; 
handicraft,  171  f.;    holidays, 

172  f. ;  motion  pictures, 
174  f.;  pageants,  172  f.; 
physical  training,  177  f.; 
playground  equipment  and 
administration,  167;  recrea- 
tional surveys,  178  f.;  socials, 

173  f.;  stories  and  story- 
telling, 171;  Woodcraft 
League,  175  f. 

Billiard  rooms,  48  f. 
Bowling  alleys,  48  f. 
Boyhood:  games  for,  93;  recre- 
ational needs  of,  91  f. 
Boy  Scouts  of  America,  98  ff. 


Brick     Presbyterian     Church, 

Rochester,  New  York,  128  ff. 
Buildings  for  recreational  work, 

145  ff. 
Camp  Fire  Girls,  98  ff. 
Camping,  books  on,  176  f. 
Center  Congregational  Church, 

Hartford,  Conn.,  136  f. 
Character,    influence    of    play 

upon, 19  ff. 
Childhood:      games    for,    90; 

recreational  needs  of,  88  ff. 
Church    camps,     126  f.,     134, 

136  f. 
Church  federations,  77  ff. 
Church  surveys,  27. 
Commercial   amusements, 

study  of,  39  ff. 
Committee  work,  162  ff. 
Communitv  House,  Winnetka, 

111.,  118  ff. 
Community   needs,   study   of, 

22  ff. 
Co-operation     in     community 

work,  72  ff. 

Dance  halls,  46  ff. 
Dancing,  55  ff.,  133,  169  f. 
Dealers  in  games  and  appara- 
tus, 179  f. 
Dramatics,  170  f. 

Equipment     for     recreational 
work,  145  ff. 

First    Baptist    Church,    Pitts- 
burgh, Pa.,  134  f. 


183 


1 84 


Recreation  and  the  Church 


First  Baptist  Church,  Pleasant 
Lake,  Ind.,  142  ff. 

First  Baptist  Church,  Pough- 
keepsie,  N.Y.,  138. 

First  Church  of  Christ,  Hart- 
ford, Conn.,   136  f. 

Fort  Street  Presbyterian 
Church,  Detroit,  Mich., 
125  ff. 

Games:  for  boys  and  girls,  93; 
for  children,  90;  for  early 
adolescence,  96  ff.;  for  later 
adolescence,  102. 

German  bat-ball,  96  f. 

Girlhood :  games  for  93 ;  recre- 
ational needs  of,  91  f. 

Groos,  Carl,  Theory  of  Play,  4  f. 

Group  athletics,   109  ff. 

Home  recreation,  34  ff. 

Insignia,  award  of,  114  f. 
Instinctive  nature  of  play,  7  ff. 

Kingshighway     Presbyterian 

Church,  St.  Louis,  Mo. ,122  f. 

Knights  of  King  Arthur,  98  f. 

Leadership      of      recreational 

activities,  71  ff. 
Leisure  time  of  children,  how 

used,  28  ff. 
Life     periods,     characteristics 

and  treatment,  87  ff. 

Moral  teaching  in  games,  14  ff. 

Motion  pictures :  bibliography, 

1 74  f . ;  investigation  of,  40  ff . 

Organization  of  recreational 
activities,  160  ff. 


Parks,  52  ff. 

Planning  of  church  houses  for 
recreation  work,  148  ff. 

Play:  commercial  facilities, 
139  ff.;  home  faciHties, 
134  ff.;  interest  in,  10  f.; 
religious  educational  value 
of,  1  ff . ;  space  available  for, 
in  cities,  31  ff. 

Playgrounds:  organized  activi- 
ties in,  inf.;  study  of, 
152  ff. 

Plymouth  Congregational 
Church,      Oakland,      Cal., 

I24f. 

Portland,  Ore.;  motion-picture 

survey,  41  ff. 
Programs     of     church     work, 

116  ff. 
Psychology  of  play,  3  ff. 
Public  recreation,  5 1  ff . 

Recreational  survey,  method 
of,  22  ff. 

Recreational  surveys,  bibliog- 
raphy, 1 78  f . 

Rural  church  programs,  139  ff. 

Rural  church,  recreation  in, 
57  ff- 

Rural  community,  recreational 
needs  of,  59  ff. 

St.  Paul's  Methodist  Episcopal 

Church,  Cedar  Rapids,  Iowa, 

123  f. 
Saloons,  48  f . 
Second    Baptist    Church,    St. 

Louis,  Mo.,  121  f. 
Second  Congregational  Church, 

Greenfield,  Mass.,  138  f. 
Simplicity  in  equipment,  155  ff. 
Slag-baU,  98. 


Index 


185 


Somonauk  United  Presbyterian 
Church,  Sandwich,  III., 
139  ff. 

Stories  and  story-telling,  books 
on, 171. 

Sunday-school  building,  148  ff. 

Supervision  of  recreational  ac- 
tivities, 71  ff. 

Supplies,  dealers  in,  179  f. 

Surplus-energy  theory  of  play, 
3f- 


Team  scoring,  109  ff. 
Theaters,  44  ff. 

Ventilation    of    buildings    for 

recreational  work,  158  f. 
Volunteer  service,  162  ff. 

Winnetka  Congregational 
Church,  Winnetka,  111., 
74  ff.,   117  ff. 

Woodcraft  League,  98  f . ; 
books  on,  175  f. 


Date  Due 

D|^  :^c 

Am- 

^  \ 

\ 

\ 

-"* ""'■"' 

r'':^.j 

^"""mmmmti 

HWSSf?'^-  _ 

* 

